Man jailed for life over Nansana, Entebbe women murders

The High Court yesterday sentenced a man to life imprisonment, for being part of the criminal gang that murdered at least 28 women in Entebbe and Nansana municipalities in Wakiso District, over the last two years.
Ibrahim Kaweesa, 39, was found guilty of murdering Annet Nakku in Nansana in 2017. Police records showed that Kaweesa first raped the deceased before strangling her.
Life imprisonment means spending the rest of the convict’s natural life in prison
While sentencing Kaweesa, Justice Patricia Basaza Wasswa described his acts as “beastly” and that he should be put away from society.
“I have carefully looked at the evidence and this case has very rare circumstances. The victim was murdered by deliberate strangulation, deliberate in a beastly way,” the judge said during a criminal session held at Wakiso court.
He added: “Nakku died in a similar way like other women in the vulnerable group. It is, therefore, critical that society is protected from Kaweesa Ibrahim. This court finds it more than appropriate to pronounce a punitive sentence. I, therefore, sentence you to imprisonment for the rest of your life.”
Earlier during the mitigation session, the prosecution led by Ms Emilly Ninsiima, had called for the maximum sentence of death, reasoning that Kaweesa was never remorseful throughout the trial.
“Nakku was killed in a violent manner and during the proceedings, he (Kaweesa) was never remorseful and in his own words, he said this wouldn’t be the first conviction,” Ms Ninsiima submitted.
When he was given a chance to address court, Kaweesa pleaded with the judge to hand him a light sentence, promising never to engage in illegal sexual activities which have now landed him into trouble.
In Ugandan criminal justice system, life sentence is the second highest punishment after death by hanging.
In January, the High Court in Kampala, acquitted three suspects, who had been accused of being behind the women murders.
Ivan Katongole, a businessman dealing in fish export at Kasenyi Landing Site in Katabi Town Council in Wakiso District, Andrew Kizito and Hellen Nabaggala were acquitted after court found no incriminating evidence linking them to the said murdered women.
The court observed that the police did a poor job in investigations.
The trio had been on trial for murder of Rose Nakimuli, a hair dresser in Entebbe.
Before the same court yesterday, six other people were convicted after being found guilty of aggravated robberies in Wakiso.
According to police, 28 women were murdered around Entebbe Town and Nansana in Wakiso District during the 2017 wave of murders.
Police investigations showed that 12 of the women, were first raped before they were brutally murdered with some having sticks inserted into their private parts.