Five terrorism suspects committed to High Court for trial
The terrorism suspects in the the dock at the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on March 27, 2025. PHOTO | JULIET KIGONGO.
What you need to know:
- The prosecution will rely on mobile phones, call data records, forensic reports, and other evidence to prove the accused's involvement in these crimes
Five individuals, Twaha Kasaijja alias Salongo alias Musiramu, Ismail Kisambu, Muhammed Nabanji, Sadat Nsubuga, and Twaha Mutebi alias Sheikh, have been committed to the International Crimes Division (ICD) of the High Court to stand trial on multiple charges of aggravated trafficking in children and terrorism.
The group on Thursday (March 27, 2025) appeared before the Buganda Road Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi, who committed them to the ICD for trial after the Director of Public Prosecutions found sufficient evidence to prosecute them.
Chief Magistrate Kayizzi made the ruling, stating, "You are hereby committed to the International Crimes Division of the High Court for trial at the next convenient session."
The accused will face trial on one count of belonging or professing to belong to a terrorist organization, one count of rendering support to a terrorist organization, and seven counts of aggravated trafficking in children. According to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the accused were involved in the recruitment and transportation of children to Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The DPP's evidence reveals that the accused used various methods, including fraud, abuse of power, and deception, to recruit children below 18 years for purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labor, forced child marriage, and use in armed conflict.
The prosecution will rely on mobile phones, call data records, forensic reports, and other evidence to prove the accused's involvement in these crimes.
"That the Mobile Phones for A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5 were seized and submitted to the Directorate of Forensic Services and the report contains information relating to belonging, commitment/support for ADF and Aggravated Trafficking in children. The said report will be tendered in court and relied upon during the trial," the DPP contends.
According to the indictment, police received intelligence information in 2023 that about twelve residents of Lower and Upper Konge Zone in Makindye Division, within Kampala City had sold off their properties and disappeared from the area, among them was Abdurahaman Ssemanda who originally owned a butcher and sold it to Badiru Mwanje at Shs 23 million.
The indictment further reveals that Kasaijja informed police that he was given a telephone number 0707 217349 by an unidentified ADF Commander/agent from DRC with instructions to contact the owner who would give him more recruits/victims for transportation to Mpondwe border.
Nabanji admitted to taking three of his own children aged 6, 8, and 10 to ADF camps in DR-Congo in 2011. Kisambu also admitted to have recruited and handed over his own children aged 4, 7, and 11 to Nsubuga who transported them to ADF camps in Eastern DR-Congo and have never returned since then.
The DPP also contends that one of the victims who was rescued in 2015 was traced by police from Iganga District and upon interview she confirmed that she was trafficked together with her siblings with many other children who have not yet returned.
The prosecution will rely on mobile phones, CDRs, forensic report, court orders, PF 24s & PF 17As, certificate of amnesty, KYCs and communication matrix to prove the accused's guilt.
