Four suspects pinned in Maj. Noel Mwesigye murder case

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Detective Assistant Inspector of Police(AIP), Leonard Mukwaya from Luweero police station has pinned four suspects appearing before the UPDF General Court-martial for their involvement in the murder of Major Noel Mwesigye. The suspects are Manisur Olenga, Rashid Yiga alias Mucholi, Steven Kisuule, and Rogers Mwanje.

According to the prosecution, on January 17th 2021, the accused persons and others still at large while in Masiga village, Kikyusa sub-county in Luwero district with malice aforethought caused the unlawful death of Major Mwesigye by shooting. The prosecution also says that the group also robbed Mwesigye of his pistol before running away with Shillings 490,000 belonging to Barbara Katiti.

On Monday, Detective Mukwaya took to the stand to testify against the accused persons. He told the UPDF General Court Martial chaired by Brigadier General Robert Freeman Mugabe that on January 18th, 2021, he and fellow other detectives visited the scene of the crime in Masiga village, Kikyusa and found Major Noel Mwesigye’s wounded body at Holy Cross health center. He explained that at the crime scene, he saw a Nissan patrol registration number UAA 171V belonging to Major Noel whose doors were open and stained with blood.

According to Mukwaya, when he turned behind the vehicle, he saw a bullet cartridge and two others inside the vehicle. The detective told the court that the suspects were arrested by the Flying Squad from Kampala. He explains that in March 2021, the Flying Squad Unit returned the suspects to the scene of the crime and they demonstrated how they killed Major Mwesigye. Mukwaya told the court that Olega Mansoor and Rashid Yiga confessed to him that they killed Major Mwesigye.

However, upon cross-examination by Captain Nsubuga Busagwa, the accused’s lawyer detective Mukwaya who was on oath failed to convince the court whether the four accused persons are directly responsible for killing Major Mwesigye. He also failed to tell the court why it’s only Rashid Yiga and Mansoor Olega the only suspects who were taken to the crime scene to demonstrate the killing while two other suspects remained in a vehicle that was parked 30 meters away. Mukwaya told the court that he partly investigated the matter. Brigadier General Robert Freeman Mugabe adjourned the case to January 31, 2022, for further hearing.

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