Driver gets life sentence for killing man at Kitooro taxi park

Entebbe, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Ronald Wanda, a taxi driver in Entebbe municipality has earned himself a life sentence for killing Joseph Mulindwa alias Isma at Kitooro Taxi Park. 

He was handed the life-sentenced by Justice Wilson J. Kwesiga this morning on the last day of the High Court Criminal session sitting in Entebbe Chief Magistrate’s Court.  

Court heard that on May 14th, 2019 at Kitooro Taxi Park in Entebbe municipality in Wakiso district, Wanda caused the unlawful death of Mulindwa, a law enforcement officer attached to Entebbe Taxi Operators Association who was deployed at Kitooro Taxi Park. 

Prosecution witnesses told the court that Wanda and Mulindwa had an argument about the taxi park regulations. After the altercation, Wanda reportedly held Mulindwa’s arm and dragged him on the road for about ten minutes before pushing him inside the minibus.     

Mulindwa reportedly fell off the vehicle, which prompted Wanda to reverse and run over him. In his judgment, Kwesiga said he took into account Wanda’s defence that he killed the deceased accidentally. 

He, however, said all the evidence before court shows that killed Mulindwa intentionally because he ignored several pleas from Mulindwa and his conductor to stop hurting him.  

Kwesiga noted that the postmortem report indicated that Mulindwa succumbed to multiple injuries in his ribs, lungs and spine, which could not have been as a result of one the falls or an accident.

Kwesiga also says Wanda’s conduct after the incident was wanting because he did not report himself to Kitooro police post. 

He handed him life Imprisonment that he will serve the rest of his life. 

Jean Nareeba, the State Attorney who prosecuted the case, had asked the court to sentence Wanda to at least 40 years in jail for being “heartless, ruthless and cruel” to Mulindwa. 

Peruth Nshemereire, the Defense Counsel asked the court for leniency, saying his client can reform. She also asked the court to consider how harsh some of the enforcement officers are towards drivers.

But Kwesiga says taxi drivers like Wanda usually defy regulations and should be punished.

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