DPC Kirumira was trailed for 3 days before his killing - state witness

Former Buyende district police commander Muhammad Kirumira was trailed for three consecutive days before he was eventually gunned down on September 8, 2018, a state witness has told court today. 

Police detective Steven Walimbwa, the 10th witness was testifying in the case in which two people are being accused of the murder of Kirumira before court presided over by lady justice Margaret Mutonyi.

It is alleged that Abubaker Karungi and Hamuza Mwebe, with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the death of Kirumira and Mbabazi by shooting them along Bulenga town on Mityana. Walimbwa told court that he recorded a charge and caution statement from Karungi who told him that he had been assigned by Abdurahman Kateregga to alert him when he sees Kirumira's vehicle.

Court also heard that Karungi reportedly did not know Kirumira's vehicle, but he was picked up from Masanafu by Kateregga in his pickup vehicle and taken to Bulenga at the parking yard where Kirumira used to park his vehicle.

According to the witness, Karungi was promised an unspecified amount of money if he spots the vehicle that had been described to him by Kateregga. As result, he reportedly went to the parking yard on September 6 and 7, 2018, failed to see it but succeeded on the next day when Kirumira and Mbabazi were murdered.

Court also heard that when Karungi spotted Kirumira's vehicle, it was parked outside the parking yard, and inside were Kirumira and Mbabazi, and quickly alerted Kateregga at around 7 pm. Later, Kateregga came riding a motorcycle carrying Mwebe who was in possession of a submachine gun (SMG) and was dressed in a black jacket.

As Karungi was leaving, he heard gunshots and he together with Kateregga entered the pickup, and Mwebe rode a motorcycle and proceeded to an unknown destination.

According to the witness, Karungi later went to his mother's place in Mpigi district where he spent a night. But Karungi’s lawyer Zefania Zimbe asked court to retract the statement on the basis that it was written by security personnel and that their client had signed it under duress after he had allegedly been beaten and subjected to torture.

However, in her ruling, Mutonyi declined to retract Karungi's statement and asked the defense lawyers to cross-examine Walimbwa.

The hearing of the case which is being conducted under a special session will continue tomorrow Friday when prosecutors led by the assistant director of public prosecutions Thomas Jatiko and state attorney Joseph Kyomuhendo adduce more evidence in the case.

One of the suspects, Kateregga was shot dead by security agencies in 2018 and was believed to be a member of the rebel group the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).