Justice Richard Wejuli Wabwire, on Monday, confirmed multiple charges against the accused, who will now await trial before a designated panel. They include Sheikh Yahaya Ramathan Mwanje, the deputy Amir Ummah, Yusuf Siraje Nyanzi, Jibril Kalyango, Bruhan Balyejusa, and Noordin Lutaaya, face allegations of murder.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Buyondo, Abdul Wahab Sendegeya, Musa Sekandi, Yusuf Nyanzi Siraje, Balyejusa, and Lutaaya were further charged with aiding and abetting terrorism. The court also confirmed the charges of belonging to a terrorist organization against Balyejjusa and Lutaaya.
The ruling followed submissions from both the defense, represented by Geoffrey Turyamusiima, and the prosecution, assessing the sufficiency of evidence supporting the charges. In delivering the ruling, justice Wabwire affirmed that the evidence presented substantiates the charges against the accused.
The investigation revealed that Sheikh Mwanje was sighted near the Northern by-pass shortly before the murder of Kiggundu and Mukasa in Masanafu, a Kampala suburb, on November 26, 2016.
Court records also show that indicate frequent communication between Mwanje and his co-accused, with call logs regularly deleted post-conversations. The director of public prosecutions (DPP) asserts that Mwanje, then the head of Nakasero Mosque, allegedly made threats against Kiggundu and certain Muslim clerics due to disagreements over mosque leadership and projects.
All the accused maintain their innocence and are currently out on bail, except for Lutaya and Nyanzi. Nyanzi remains in custody for the murder of Gen Katumba Wamala’s daughter, Brenda Nantongo, and driver Haruna Kayondo, along with charges linked to the killings of former police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his driver Kenneth Erau, and Godfrey Mambewa.
inarticle} inarticle}