By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo, has withdrawn charges of murder and kidnap with intent to demand a ransom against Patrick Kasaija, aka Pato, the key suspect in the alleged murder of Susan Magara.
This implies that nine suspects remain indicted for the trial of the alleged murder that occurred on February 7, 2018, when Magara was kidnapped along Kabaka Anjagala road with the intent to procure a ransom.
According to Senior State Attorney Irene Nakimbugwe from the DPP’s office, the trial for the nine suspects starts on Monday next week, with the prosecution expected to present the evidence of about 40 witnesses.
At the time of demise, Magara was the cashier of Bwendeiro dairy farm and was kidnapped and held captive for about three weeks in February 2018 as her kidnappers negotiated with her family for a USD1 million (about Shs 3.6bn) ransom. After allegedly receiving USD200,000 (about Shs 700m) of the ransom money, the kidnappers killed Magara and dumped her body in Kitiko village between Kigo and Kajjansi along the Entebbe expressway on February 27, 2018.
The police later arrested nine people suspected to have engaged in Magara’s kidnap and murder and Pato, who was the key suspect was later extradited from South Africa where he went to hide after the sad incident.
Buganda Road Magistrate’s court later committed nine suspects to the High court for trial for Magara’s murder.
The committed suspects are Abas Buvumbo, Yusuf Lubega aged 32 (boda boda rider), Hussein Wasswa, 22, (hawker) Muzamiru Ssali, 27, (boda boda rider) Hassan Kato Miiro, Hajara Nakandi, 35, (teacher) Abubaker Kyewolwa, 30, (businessman) Mahad Kasalita, an Imam at Usafi Mosque and Ismail Bukenya who are being tried by Justice Alex Ajiji of the High Court Criminal Division.
Magara was allegedly the first victim of this kidnap for ransom scheme hatched by a one Yakub Byensi, a former combatant with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels who hails from Bunyoro like Magara and is known to the family, as well accused number two Yusuf Lubega who used to work in Container Village with Magara’s mother. Armed with insider information, the suspects, according to prosecution, started trailing Magara until they kidnapped her in Lungujja on her way home.
They allegedly first took her to Hajara Nakandi’s home in Nateete and later to Amir Bukenya’s home in Konge II Makindye from where they cut off her two fingers that they sent to Magara’s family to show their determination to murder Magara.
After receiving the $200,000, according to prosecution, the suspects killed Magara on February 27. They allegedly suffocated her with a polythene bag because she could have easily identified them given the time she had spent in captivity. The suspects, then on February 28 drove Magara’s body using Nakandi’s vehicle and dumped it in Kitiko.
The vehicle was allegedly driven by Yusuf Lubega who was later tracked and arrested with his accomplices from Usafi Mosque. Prosecution said it has in possession several exhibits including several properties recovered by police from the suspects that they had purchased using ransom money. Among the recovered items include land titles, motor vehicles (taxis) among others.
According to alleged confessions by the suspects, they never intended to kill Magara but while still being held captive at Nakandi’s home, she (Nakandi) received visitors. During their innocent conversation and unknown to them that Magara was hidden in one of the house’s rooms, they called out Nakandi by name.
Magara who was always blindfolded and mouth taped shut had heard Nakandi’s name and picked off the conversations of Nakandi’s visitors. On informing Byensi about what had happened, prosecution says, a meeting was held at Usafi mosque and two options were on table for Magara – be released or be killed. Releasing Magara would expose the kidnappers, they reasoned, since she could easily positively identify Nakandi and arresting Nakandi would lead to more arrests. So they decided to brutally end her life.
