By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: City businessman Mohammed Ssebuwufu, of Pine Car bond in Nakasero, has been sentenced to fourty years in jail over the murder of Betty Donah Katusabe.
High Court Justice Flavia Anglin Ssenoga sentenced Ssebuwufu and six others to jail for 40 years for the murder Katusabe. The other convicts are Godfrey Kayiza, Phillip Mirambe, Paul Tasingika, Yoweri Kitayimba, Shaban Otuddu and Damaseni Ssentongo. In her sentence, Justice Ssenoga handed the convicts 40 years for murder, 20 years for aggravated robbery and 30 years for kidnapping Katusabe with intentions of murdering her. She said the sentences will run concurrently. Justice Ssenoga also sentenced Stephen Lwanga to seven years in jail for being an accessory to the offenses. She directed the convicts to compensate Katusabe’s family with Shs100 million for the offense of aggravated robbery. Justice Ssenoga noted that she decided to hand the convicts these sentences since they committed the offenses with impunity, adding that it would deter other would-be offenders from perpetrating the same crimes. In his submission, the Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Alex Michael Ojok, had asked court to give the convicts a maximum sentence of death. He explained that the convicts went through a full trial, which cost the state huge resources.
However, the convicts’ lawyers, Caleb Alaka and Evans Ochieng, beseeched court to hand them a lighter sentence because they are first time offenders, arguing that the convicts are young men between 30 and 46 years with families to look after. “The purpose of the sentence is to offer the convict an opportunity to reform. The death sentence is not justifiable in the circumstances of this case”, Ochieng told court. The defense lawyers also asked the Judge to look at the sentence handed over to the convicts involved in the 2010 Kampala twin bombing arguing that many people died but the trial justices led by the Deputy Chief Justice, Alfonse Owiny Dollo handed them a lighter sentence.
On October 21st, 2015, the convicts kidnapped Katusabe from her home in Bwebajja along Entebbe Road, and drove her to Pine car bond along Lumumba Avenue, in Nakasero, Kampala, where they used sharp objects like Panga and sticks to torture her to death. Katusabe had reportedly failed to pay balance of Shs9 million for a vehicle she’d bought from Ssebuwufu’s bond at Shs 17million. The convicts also reportedly stole Katusabe’s simcards and a Smartphone worth Shs300,000. Prosecution presented 26 witnesses including Police officers, lawyers and Pathologists who adduced evidence that linked the convicts to Katusabe’s murder. The convicts had been jointly charged with former Central Police Commandant Aaron Baguma, who was later exonerated from the charges by the Director of Public Prosecutions-DPP without clear reasons. However, Ssebuwufu’s lawyers have since vowed to appeal the sentence, although Katusabe’s relatives who were at court were overhead jubilating, saying that at least justice has been served and deceased’s soul can now rest in peace.
