- The Two MPs were committed to the High Court for trial.
- State says one of the suspects confessed to have been hired by the MPs.
- They are currently on remand at Kigo prison.
- They deny the said murders.
MPs Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana have been committed to the Masaka High Court for trial on their second alleged murder charge of Bwanika Joseph on the 2nd of August 2021.
On Monday . the prosecution led by senior state prosecutor Richard Bilivumbuka presented the committal papers before Her Worship Christine Nantenge and an amended charge sheet adding on another suspect identified as Ssenyonga Wilson.
In the summary charge sheet, it is alleged that Ssenyonga carried out the murder after being hired by Ssegirinya and Sewanyana and later buried the victim upside down in a shallow grave with his legs hanging out.
The accused's Lawyers led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago have described Monday's events as an ambush on their clients since the same court by law was mandated to release the MPs on bail after clocking the mandatory six months without trial.
Lukwago explained that when they last appeared early this month, they begged the magistrate to allow them to return before court today but the court declined and ordered them to return on the 6th of next month.
He added that they were however surprised when they received production warrants for their clients to appear in court , and although as Lawyers, they came with sureties for their clients ready to secure their temporary releases, they were left astonished when state instead presented a new suspect and committal papers.
Lukwago added that the particulars of the summary of the offense are still hanging and contrary to the law since they were given inadequate information.
According to Lukwago, the state claims that the suspect was arrested immediately after the commission of the said murder, but was never charged with his alleged bosses until today, and also questions why the state refused to give them the alleged confession statement in which the suspect allegedly made accepting to have carried out the said crime.
Lukwago further contested the said summary, after it failed to indicate the alleged 100,000 shillings which state had previously alleged that he was paid to carry out the said killing as a retaliation for the alleged stealing of their presidential vote. Other facts being contested include the venue Happy boys in Ndeeba, where the meeting was allegedly carried out to hatch the said murder, how the said murder was carried out, which Lukwago says is so material to their evidence.
Why bring the alleged masterminds, before you charge the person who carried out the actual killing, and we are told,he recorded an extra judicial statement and they have denied us access to it as mandated by law to help the lawyers of the accused prepare their defence.
Prosecution states that on the night of 23/8/2021,unknown assailants attacked Masaka district and hacked several people to death and that on the next day, two people including Mugerwa Francis Kizza and Kakoza Sulaiman were found dead and their bodied were dumped on the road in Settaala village and another person identified as Ssebyoto Ronald was attacked in the same village,but survived with injuries on his head.
According to prosecution ,on the 4th day of August 2021,the MPs killed a one Bwanika Joseph of Kisekka B Village, Kankamba Parish, Lwengo District and that on the 23rd of August at Ssenya Village,in the Masaka City,with malice aforethought killed Kiyimba Tadeo at Ssettaala Village.
They are also said to have participated in the murder of Sulaiman Kakooza, Michael Kizza Nswa on August 23rd 2021,at Ssetaala Village, Kimanya,Kabonera division .