Akena's belongings found with Kanyamunyu – witness

The seventh prosecution witness on Tuesday testified against Matthew Kanyamunyu, the director Quantum Express Logistics and his girlfriend, Cynthia Munwangari over the murder of former child rights activist, Kenneth Akena.

Akena’s brother, John Nyeko told court presided over by Justice Steven Mubiru that he had spent the better part of the fateful day (November 12, 2016) with Akena in town and that they were to catch up later at around 6pm at Rugby club Lugogo but this did not happen.

Mr Nyeko said he arrived at Kyaddondo Rugby Grounds around 7.30pm but Akena was no-where to be seen. He decided to call him on phone but there was no response, which prompted him to start looking for him physically.

He told court that he later received a phone call from his other brother identified as Jordan indicating that Akena had been shot and was admitted at Nakasero Hospital. According to Nyeko, he rushed to Nakasero Hospital and found the gate locked and was only allowed in after identifying himself as Akena's brother.

The 33-year old witness explained that while at Nakasero hospital, Kanyamunyu asked him if he was the one who had called Jordan before he informed him of Akena’s condition, saying he had rushed the deceased to hospital as a Good Samaritan after being shot at Kyaddondo Rugby Grounds.

Nyeko said he left Kanyamunyu and stormed the Emergency Ward where he found two doctors attending to Akena. He explained that Akena who was able to speak, told him that the man and woman who had brought him to the facility, shot him at Game store.

“Paapa (his pet name at home), they have shot me. I am going to die,” Mr Nyeko quoted his brother as saying.

He added: “I responded, you are not going to die since the doctors are working on you. He said he was shot at Game store and not Rugby club. He told me that he was parking when he brushed a car of a man who was with a woman and that he went out to see if he could apologise and talk but the man pulled a pistol and shot him in the stomach.”

According to Nyeko, he was taken to Wandegeya Police Division later where he recorded a statement together with the accused persons before returning to the shooting scene to search for Akena's car which was parked opposite Malik Car Bond.

He explained that when he returned to Nakasero Hospital, doctors informed him that they had concluded the first procedure to save Akena’s life and that since their Intensive Care Unit was filled to capacity, they decided to transfer him to Norvik Hospital where he breathed his last a few hours later.
Nyeko revealed that while at Norvik Hospital, two gentlemen who identified themselves as Joseph and Moses approached him, saying they were willing to help them to foot the medical bills and exchanged contacts.

“When we broke the sad news to them that our brother had passed on, they never picked up our calls again,” he added.

The witness disclosed that after Akena’s funeral, he was taken to Police parades at Jinja Road and Kira Road Police Stations to identify the men he had met at the hospital. He was reportedly able to identify the accused persons and Akena's belongings including keys, two mobile phones and shoes that were reportedly recovered from Kanyamunyu’s car.

Earlier in the day, a roadside vendor who sells groundnuts at Kyadondo took to the dock and testified against Kanyamunyu.

Ms Rose Kade told Justice Stephen Mubiru that the incident took place at around 7pm on November 12, 2016. She said she saw two vehicles, a big one and a small one near her work station near Hamza Motors, car bond opposite UMA show grounds.

The 43-year old said as she was packing her merchandise to return home after the day’s work, she saw a man disembark from the big car followed by a woman.

She described the man as tall and lean and the lady as light skinned and dressed in a short attire.
“The two people came towards the small vehicle and the next time I looked there, I saw three people, with the third person being a man wearing a white shirt, the occupant of the small car standing between the two cars,” Ms Kade recalled.

“I then saw the three enter the big car and drive towards town,” Ms Kade added.
However, the sixth prosecution witness didn’t talk of having heard a bullet being discharged when the two cars met.