18 suspects to be charged over Kirumira murder
What you need to know:
- At least 10 witnesses have already recorded statements narrating how assailants waylaid Kirumira and showered his car with rounds of ammunition. Kirumira’s murder came 90 days after the killing of Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga.
Kampala. Police have said the nine suspects arrested during a raid on a suspected terror cell in Namungoona, Rubaga Division in Kampala will be charged with conspiracy to murder former Buyende District Police Commander Muhammad Kirumira.
In the security raid, Abdul Kateregga, who allegedly showered Kirumira with bullets, was shot dead by operatives from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).
Addressing journalists in Kampala yesterday, deputy police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said the rest of the suspects will be charged for concealing information of an impending attack on Kirumira from security agencies.
“In an operation to kill a person, there are always planners; people who do the spying and people who actually execute the mission. The suspects we are holding are being held on [charges of] conspiracy to commit this crime,” Mr Onyango said.
He was responding to a query on whether suspects in police and army custody will be released since the alleged killer was gunned down during the night operation.
Details on suspects
Kirumira was killed on September 8 in Bulenga on the Kampala-Mityana highway. He had for several months claimed that people were trailing him with the intention of assassinating him for exposing police officers hobnobbing with criminals.
Kateregga was reportedly shot as he tried to flee from the army that had raided the terror cells at around 8pm on Friday evening. Mr Onyango said Kateregga was pinned by other suspects as the person who had shot dead Kirumira and his friend, Resty Mbabazi Nalinya.
Before the Friday operation, operatives from CMI, the Internal Security Organisation and the Criminal Investigations Directorate had apprehended other nine suspects, including Assistant Superintendent of Police Ismael Ssenono and one Sgt Richard Katete.
A total of 18 suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the Kirumira murder while five others are reportedly still at large.
