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Trial of alleged eight Kaweesi killers stalls

Former police spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi

What you need to know:

  • After protracted investigations following the arrest of more than 50 suspects, nearly half of them were dropped from the indictment due to lack of evidence

About eight suspects, who were arrested in swoop joint operations by security forces over the killing of the former AIGP, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, in 2017 are yet to receive justice. 
After protracted investigations following the arrest of more than 50 suspects, nearly half of them were dropped from the indictment due to lack of evidence.
 
Twenty three suspects were finally zeroed upon and taken to Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court and charged in connection with Kaweesi’s murder.
But five years later, eight have been committed to the High Court to stand trial. 
The eight are Abdulrashid Mbaziira, Hamza Higenyi, Shafiq Kasujja, Yusuf Mugerwa, Bruhan Balyejjusa, Joshua Kyambadde, Jibril Kalyango, and Yusuf Nyanzi. Of the eight, five are out on bail. Two were further remanded over other cases. 
 
Nyanzi was in June last year rearrested for his alleged role in the attempted killing of Works minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala.
The remaining 15 suspects were never sent for trial and remain at large.
Mr Geoffrey Turyamusiima, the defence lawyer to the suspects, said the State has delayed justice.
“Five years is a long time for one not to get justice. The delay is affecting the right to a fair hearing to my clients as demanded by the Constitution,” he said yesterday.

“We filed an application before court, challenging the delay to hear the case, but they have not fixed a date,” he added.
Mr Jamson Karemani, the public relations officer of the Judiciary, yesterday said: “The answer is the usual one, because of limited resources, we have less man power, so we are using the ‘first in’, ‘first out’ policy. When their time comes, we shall hear their case.”
Prosecution states that the group between January and March 2017, in diverse districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Jinja, Iganga, Bugiri, Busia, and Tororo for purposes of influencing government,  planned Kaweesi’s killing.

Twist in investigations
   In May, 2018, the investigators into Kaweesi’s death followed another tip presented by ISO that he could have been killed by his colleagues over an alleged power struggle.  The team investigated several implicated senior police officers including then Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura and former commander of the Flying Squad Herbert Muhangi. 

The ISO operatives shared an audio they had purportedly recorded after tapping into an alleged conversation between Gen Kayihura and Mr Muhangi.  Detectives also recorded statements from both officers, who denied participating in the killing.  But the audio was later subjected to analysis and was found to be a fabrication by ISO.


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