Prosecutors strike stops Kaweesi murder suspects trial
The case in which 13 people are accused of murdering former police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi has flopped at Nakawa chief magistrates court due to the ongoing strike of the state prosecutors. PHOTO BY ALEX ESAGALA
KAMPALA- The case of the 13 suspects accused of murdering former police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi stalled in the magistrate’s court on Thursday
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The case had come up for mention at Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court pending a response from the prosecution on the progress of the investigations, but due to the absence of the state prosecutor Ms Apio Caroline, it was adjourned.
On Wednesday all state prosecutors under the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, countrywide, went on an indefinite strike over low pay and poor welfare.
“Due to the absence of the state prosecutor, court does not know the stage of the case. I do not know whether the investigations are complete to commit you to High Court for trial . Because of this, I have no option apart from further remanding you,” the presiding Grade One Magistrate, Mr Noah Sajjabi told the suspects and adjourned the case to July 26.
Thirteen suspects are charged with the assassination of Kaweesi and his two aides; bodyguard Kenneth Erau and driver Godfrey Wambewo.
They are: Abdul Rashid Mbaziira Buyondo, Mr. Ramadhan Noor Diin Higenyi, Yusuf Mugerwa, Bruhan Baryejusa, Umar Maganda and Ahmed Shafic Ssenfuka.
Others are: Hassan Tumusiime, Ibrahim Kiisa, Othman Muhammad Omerette, Hamid Magando, Abdul Magid Ojegere, Sheikh Musa Abu and Baker Ntanda.
Particulars of the case state that the accused on March 17, 2017 at Kulambiro in Kampala
Kaweesi, bodyguard and driver tried to escape
Police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi, 43, was yesterday shot dead in a daring but not uncommon fashion as he left his home in Kulambiro, a Kampala suburb, to go to work.
They are facing charges of murder, terrorism and robbing the deceased of a gun and a pistol after the murder.
On the count of terrorism, the prosecution contends that the suspects and others still at large, between January and March 17, in the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and Jinja among other places, with the intention of influencing the government and intimidate the public for social, economic and political gains, involved themselves in terrorism by killing Kaweesi.
