Family protests withdraw of murder charges against Nantaba

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The family of the late Ronald Ssebulime is protesting the decision by the Director of Public Prosecution to withdraw murder charges against State Minister for Information, Communication and Technology Ida Erios Nantaba.

Ssebulime, who was riding a motorbike, was arrested and handcuffed before being shot dead by police on Sunday, March 24, 2019, on suspicion that he wanted to assassinate Nantaba.

However, on Monday, the DPP Justice Mike Chibita withdrew charges against them including the Minister except David Ssali who was the Patrol Commander, whose gun is said to have been used to shoot dead Ssebulime.

Addressing the press in Kampala on Tuesday, Ssebulime’s family lawyer Muwada Nkunyingi said that they are aggrieved and disappointed by the DPP’s decision.

They contend that the decision by the DPP was rushed, and neither was it independent or public interest.

The family lawyers cite constitutional powers of the DPP where he is mandated act in public interest while withdrawing the charges.

However, in this case, the family alleges that the decision of the DPP may merely incite more murders by those with guns with assurance that the DPP will never prosecute them or he will withdraw charges against them.

“When the state stands with the killers, then it is the state that kills and more likely it is the state which killed the late Ssebulime Ronald. The family then finds this as impunity and would seek local and international justice”, said Nkunyingi.

The family is now considering challenging the DPP’s decision and also threatening to hold a peaceful protest on Thursday.

They are also crying out to the general public to lend them a hand in demanding justice for Ssebulime’s family as well as supporting orphans left behind by the deceased.

In June 2019,  the family of Ssebulime through his sister Sylvia Nakayita instituted Private Prosecution on Minister Nantaba and the trio on grounds that they were also accomplices of murder.

However, the DPP on the first date for mentioning the case applied to take over the matter and challenged the application for the private prosecution and arrest warrants.

Although the suspected killer David Ssali was charged and remanded to Luzira Prison, the Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said that the other Police Officers will be tried by the Disciplinary Unit of Police.

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