I lost my hand during Susan Magara murder suspects' arrest, says CMI operative
Murdered Susan Magara. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Sgt Isabirye on Monday showed court the cut off hand, testified that he was one of the personnel deployed in April 2018 during the joint operation that led to the arrest of the nine suspects.
The state has presented a Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier who lost a hand during the arrest of the suspects in the murder of Susan Magara in 2018.
The 48-year-old Sgt Isabirye Suudi, attached to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), is the 11th prosecution witness in the 2018 murder of the Bwendero Dairy Farm cashier.
Sgt Isabirye, who on Monday showed court the cut off hand, testified that he was one of the personnel deployed in April 2018 during the joint operation that led to the arrest of the nine suspects.
“When I tried to access Usafi Mosque in Mengo-Kisenyi, I found one person on the doorway and when I asked him, he entered and closed the door. Immediately after a minute, I heard someone shouting Allah hu Akbar (literally meaning God is great) and suddenly my left hand was cut off. It was dark, I could not observe anyone, but I got unconscious until seven days later when I found myself in hospital,” Sgt Isabirye testified against nine accused persons while appearing before High Court Judge Alex Ajiji.
The suspects are Yususf Lubega, Hussein Wasswa, Muzamiru Ssali, Hajara Nakandi, Abubaker Kyewolwa, Mahad Kisalita, Hassan Kato Miiro, Ismail Bukenya and Musa Abbas Buvumbo.
Another witness, Lawrence Kayondo, a forensic officer attached to the Uganda Police- testified that he collected exhibits which included fingerprints, the deceased’s car, fingers and photographs from the scene of crime, mobile telephones and papers among others.
“All those exhibits were recovered, photographed, labeled and submitted to different laboratories for analysis. Biological exhibits were submitted to the Government Analytical Laboratory while the folded papers were submitted to the police to get fingerprints. The 1 GB SD card was sent to the cyber laboratory for analysis,” testified Kayondo, the 12th prosecution witness.
Prosecution has since told court that the family of Magara paid Shs700million as ransom, but the kidnappers went ahead and murdered her, dumping her body at Kitiko on Entebbe Express Highway.
Meanwhile, the trial judge Ajiji has extended the further hearing of prosecution witnesses to November 21.
Prosecution case
Prosecution states that the suspects in jail and others still at large on February 7, 2018 kidnapped Magara with intent to procure a ransom or benefit from her liberation from the danger of being murdered. The suspects are generally accused of murdering her.
