The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Directorate of Public Prosecutions has filed an application in the International Crimes Division of High Court seeking to protect witnesses in the murder trial of former Assistant Inspector General of Police Andrew Felix Kaweesi.
The former Uganda police spokesperson was gunned down together with his body guard Kenneth Erau and driver Godfrey Mambewa on March 17, 2017, in Kulambiro, a Kampala suburb.
Eight suspects were picked up and scheduled to stand trial for the murder.
They are Bruhan Balyejusa, Shafiq Kasujja, Yusuf Nyanzi, Jibril Kalyango, Joshua Kyambadde, Yusuf Mugerwa, Abdu Rashid Mbaziira and Aramathan Higenyi.
All the suspects with the exception of Mbaziira and Higenyi, who are on remand at Luzira upper prison for child trafficking are out on bail.
They appeared in court this morning for the pretrial conference via video link from Luzira prison. The Assistant DPP Lino Anguzu told court that they have applied for witness protection during the hearing.
He explained that the application will be heard with expert for security reasons and didn’t divulge more details. He told court that they are able to disclose to the defense 95 percent of the documentary evidence relating to the matter.
These include more than 30 witness statements, charge and caution statements of the accused persons, indictments, phone print outs and exhibit slips among others.
He however said they hadn’t been able to disclose the physical evidence to the defense because they need time to inspect some of the exhibits which are in police custody.
The suspects were represented by their lawyers, Anthony Wameli, Geoffrey Turyamusiima and Hamza Ssekidde. Wameli indeed confirmed that the state hadn’t yet finalized with disclosing all the necessary evidence.
Justice Duncan Gaswagga has directed the state to complete the process of disclosing the evidence to the defense team for the pretrial to commence.
He declined to comment on the application for witness protection saying he hasn’t seen it on court record.
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