Jamil Mukulu charged with murder of Sheikhs
KAMPALA. The International Crimes Division of the High Court has formally read charges to the jailed leader of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) Jamilu Mukulu.
Mukulu who is jointly charged with 37 others is facing 20 counts including ; terrorism, murder, aggravated robbery, attempted murder and belonging to a terrorism group-ADF.
According to the charges which have been read in court by the registrar Sanyu Harreit Lukwago, the indictment introduces Mukulu as the leader of ADF and Salaf Muslim community in Uganda who would give orders to his 37 co-suspects to commit murders and robberies in various districts like Bugiri, Tororo, Namayingo, Kampala, Wakiso, Jinja, Mbale and Budaka among others.
Mukulu is also indicted for the murder of 2 sheikhs; Dakitoor Muwaya and Yunus Abubakar Mandanga in Mayuge and Bugiri districts respectively. He is further charged with the murder of 2 police officers Muzamir Babale and Karim Tenywa from Bugiri police station.
The group is further said to have robbed guns, ammunitions, a gold weighing machine, millions of money and attempting to take away the lives of many people.
Prosecution led by Asst. DPP John Baptist Asiimwe contends that Mukulu and the group committed these offenses for either a social, political, economic or religious aim in order to cause fear and panic among the members of public and government at large.
But according to the rules of the court, Mukulu and the group are not permitted to enter plea on any of the charges as this will be done before a panel of three justices at the commencement of trial.
The next step now is for presiding judge Eva Luswata to hear submissions from both state and defence lawyers in order to determine whether the DPP has sufficient evidence sustaining these charges before she confirms them and forwards the case file to the trial panel.
These submissions will be made in court after 3 months on the 26th/April 2019 as the suspects return on remand at Luzira prison.
However before reading the charges in court, justice Luswata first made an order directing prison authorities to examine and evaluate one of the suspects; Musa Mukudukwe who claimed to have sustained several spine injuries while in custody.
This is after the judge observed that Mukudukwe could neither stand nor sit upright in court.
