35-year jail term for man who murdered Museveni bush war ally

The judge’s order follows a petition by a local children rights organisation, Kyampisi Child Care Ministries (KCM) to have the 2012 Magistrate Court proceedings reviewed to accord the victim deserved justice. Ms Shelin Kasozi, the Child Protection Officer at KCM, welcomed the High Court decision for a retrial.

What you need to know:

  • Nakibinge was tracked with information from his own cell phone when he made calls to his friends and relatives indicating that he had killed the man who had grabbed their land. He was arrested in Mukono District, two days after committing the offence in Luweero District.
  • As chief mourner, President Museveni condemned the murder of Majambere describing the act as cowardly and vowed to ensure that the culprit who had been arrested would reap from his inhuman act.

The High Court in Luweero has handed a 35-year jail term to the man who murdered Samuel Babumba Majambere, a man who President Museveni says provided shelter and logistical support to the NRA guerrillas in the early 1980s at Makulubita Sub County in Luweero District.

Edward Nakibinge, 51, was handed the sentence by High Court Judge, Olive Karazarwe, after pleading guilty to the charge of murdering Majambere. Nakibinge had coerced Majembere to come to his garden to solve a land dispute, only to hack him to death in broad day light at Kitebere village in Makulubita Sub County, Luweero District in April 2016.

State Prosecutor Ms Beatrice Alok Odongo had on Tuesday afternoon prayed for a deterrent jail sentence of 40 years, saying that the convict conducted himself in a beastly manner in a matter which could have been resolved through the established channels of justice.

“The convict has no previous criminal record but the manner in which the offence was committed was gruesome. He showed no mercy to the victim who he hacked to death using a machete,” Odongo told court on Tuesday.

Mr Sowali Katamba the defence lawyer had pleaded for a lighter punishment for his client because of the longstanding land dispute and possible provocation.
“These people had a longstanding land dispute which had never been resolved. The convict did not waste court’s time by pleading guilty,” Katamba told court.

The trial judge in the end passed the 35-year jail sentence as a deterrent punishment, saying she considered the two years he had been on remand. Justice Karazarwe however advised the convict to appeal the sentence within 14 days from the time of judgement if he finds the punishment unfair.

Nakibinge was tracked with information from his own cell phone when he made calls to his friends and relatives indicating that he had killed the man who had grabbed their land. He was arrested in Mukono District, two days after committing the offence in Luweero District.

As chief mourner, President Museveni condemned the murder of Majambere describing the act as cowardly and vowed to ensure that the culprit who had been arrested would reap from his inhuman act.

“Nobody has a right to take away life of another person,” Museveni told mourners, adding that Majambere was one of the few people who sacrificed his life by offering shelter to the NRA fighters when they camped at his home.

“Majamberere provided us with about 50 bicycles among other logistics. We camped at Kanyanda village for some time and Majambere who at that time was among some rich men in the area offered us support. It is very sad that an individual decides to take away his life in such a gruesome way,” Museveni told the mourners at Kanyanda village in 2016.