Magara murder suspects cry foul

Nine people accused of kidnapping and murdering Susan Magara have lamented to court how security agencies arrested their families who have never been seen again.

The nine are charged with two counts of murder and kidnap with intent to procure a ransom contrary to the Penal Code Act.
“Your worship, we were arrested alongside our wives and children at Usafi mosque. But to date we are not aware of their whereabouts. This has made it hard for us to even secure lawyers as we have no one to give directives of finding attorneys,” one of the suspects Mr Muzamiru Ssali, 27, told the presiding magistrate Mr Robert Mukanza at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court.

“The security organs briefed the media that they had released those people which is not true. We pray that if they were killed, their bodies should be produced so that they can be accorded proper burial. Other friends who come to visit us are also arrested by security officers. This has made our lives so hard,” he added.

Mr Ssali was speaking on behalf of the group. He said they had been treated badly by the State since April 27 when they were arrested from Usafi Mosque in Kampala.

The other suspects are: Imam of Usafi Mosque Mahad Kasalita, Yusuf Lubega, a boda boda rider, Hussein Wasswa, a hawker, Hajara Nakandi, a teacher, Abubaker Kyewolwa, a businessman, Hassan Kato Miiro, Ismail Bukenya, a businessman and Musa Abbas Buvumbo.

Mr Ssali said their property such as cars that were confiscated upon their arrest were grabbed uncouth security officers who are currently using them to commit crimes.

At the beginning of this month the accused briefed court that they had been forced on gunpoint to make confession statements implicating themselves in Magara’s murder.

Upon listening to the suspects’ complaints, Mr Mukanza advised them to engage the Uganda Prisons authorities to find them lawyers on a State brief. He further advised them to file applications for bail in the High Court to be released from jail pending their trial.

Magistrate Mukanza adjourned the case to July 12.
Court extended a warrant of arrest to the tenth suspect, Patrick Kasaija, 36, after the prosecution’s submission that he is still at large in South Africa.

Prosecution contends that the accused persons and others still at large on February 7, 2018 kidnapped Magara, a cashier with Bwendero Dairy Farm (BDF) with intent to procure a ransom or benefit from her liberation from the danger of being murdered. The indictment further states that the accused and others still at large on February 27 at Kigo in Wakiso district murdered Magara.

The deceased was kidnapped while driving to her home in Lungujja, Rubaga Division and taken captive for 20 days until she was murdered in cold blood and body dumped off Entebbe Road.

UTILITY;
Majority of the suspects were arrested on April 27 in an operation at Usafi Mosque, Kiguli Village in Kisenyi III Parish, Kampala, by a joint team of army and police. The operation started at about 9pm and two people were killed during the arrest.