Maj Seiko faces murder charges

KAMPALA.

Maj Juma Seiko, an aide of Gen Salim Saleh, the head of Operation Wealth Creation, has been added as a murder suspect in a case where two people were shot dead at his home in Nakasero, Kampala last Saturday.

Lameck Ogwang, a supervisor of SGA security firm, and Fred Ssembatya, a boda boda rider operating from Mengo, Rubaga Division in Kampala, were allegedly shot dead by Maj Seiko’s guard, Alex Cherotik. Cherotik also shot and injured another person, who is still admitted at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Kampala Central Police Station detectives chose to add Maj Seiko on the murder file after they verified that the gun used in the crime had been assigned to him by the army. The detectives also crosschecked with the army about the shooter and they found out Cherotik was using it illegally since he had been dismissed from the army over indiscipline.

Both Seiko and Cherotik are detained at Central Police Station in Kampala and are expected to be produced in court today.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, Emilian Kayima was cagey about the developments.

“I need to talk to the investigators again. The last thing they told me was that they were verifying ownership of the gun,” Mr Kayima said yesterday. He asked for time to get a brief, but switched off his phone instead.

In his initial statement with the police, Maj Seiko defended his guard, saying he shot the deceased after they tried to force their way into his residence, probably to kill him like Maj Muhammad Kiggundu who was killed alongside his bodyguard Stephen Mukasa on November 26 in Masanafu.

Mr Andrew Kaweesi, the police spokesperson, dismissed Maj Seiko’s account, insisting the shooting at his home was uncalled for and described it as a case of gun misuse.

Maj Seiko’s version of events makes Cherotik and him victims of an attack that was masterminded by one Solomon Mugabi, who was his son’s friend.

He said the attackers numbering eight had attempted to gain entrance into his home and when they were restrained, they attempted to strangle his guard who escaped and run for the gun that was kept in a car and then shot the suspected attackers.

According to the police crime report, which was last released in 2014, at least 158 cases of murder by shooting were registered. Another 769 cases involved attempted murder by shooting in the same period.

Murder

Lameck Ogwang, a supervisor of SGA security firm, and Fred Ssembatya, a boda boda rider operating from Mengo, Rubaga Division in Kampala, were allegedly shot dead by Maj Seiko’s guard, Alex Cherotik.