Maj Seiko’s guard jailed 35 years for murder

Alex Cherotich was sentenced to 35 years in jail on the two counts of murder and 20 years on the count of attempted murder

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The trial judge noted that the convict Alex Cherotich is an ex-soldier and trained enough to control his temper and said the sentence will teach those who hold guns not to act unreasonably.

The High Court in Kampala yesterday sentenced Maj. Juma Seiko’s bodyguard to 35 years in prison for murder and attempted murder in 2016.

The trial judge noted that the convict Alex Cherotich is an ex-soldier and trained enough to control his temper and said the sentence will teach those who hold guns not to act unreasonably.

“The convict was sentenced to 35 years in jail on the two counts of murder and 20 years on the count of attempted murder. All sentences are to run co-currently and the period spent on remand should also be deducted,” Justice Flavia Anglin Senoga said during the sentencing.

“Although the convict is a first time offender, he acted in a manner that was prejudice, the person whom the deceased had brought home was well known as he was staying in that very home. He knocked on the door to be allowed to enter and instead the convict went and picked his gun and started shooting recklessly whoever was in sight causing the death of two people and the injury of two others,” she added.

Justice Senoga after the judgment informed Cherotich of his right to appeal against the conviction and sentence if he so wished.

Three court assessors had asked court to convict Cherotich on all the four counts of murder and attempted murder.
Prosecution stated that on December 3, 2016 at around 2.00am at Maj Seiko’s home on Nakasero Hill, Cherotich, a former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier who was a guard at the residence shot dead two boda-boda riders Ogwang Lamex and Fred Sembatya. On the same day, he also injured David Ssenkubuge and Solomon Mugabi.

The two boda boda riders had reportedly brought back home Mugabi who was accompanied by two of his friends Edward Katumba and Ssenkubuge.

According to the prosecution’s evidence Senkubuge was shot in the right thigh, Katumba survived unhurt while Ssenkubuge was hit on the forehead with a bullet fired by Cherotich.

The judge concurred with the advice of the three court assessors that the evidence of the prosecution had sufficiently proved all the cases against him.
“With all the piece of evidence presented, we are satisfied that prosecution has proved all the ingredients of murder, attempted murder, death was unlawful and participation by the accused. We advise court to find the accused guilty and convict him accordingly,” one assessor Ms Rehema Babirye said.