State witness testifies in Kirumira
The trial in the case of murdered District Police Commander, Muhammad Kirumira, has finally kicked off at the High court, with state witness accounts.
Court presided over by Justice Margaret Mutonyi heard that two suspects, Abubaker Karungi and Hamuza Mwebe with malice aforethought unlawfully caused the death of Kirumira and Mbabazi by shooting them to death along Bulenga town on Mityana road.
One of the witnesses, a detective identified as ASP Walimbwa Steven told court that on 29th Sept 2018, his boss Agaba Godwin directed him to do some work at CID.
Walimbwa told Court that he recorded a charge and caution statement from Karungi who told him that he had been assigned by Abdurahman Kateregga to trail Kirumira’s vehicle.
Walimba said in early September, Katerregga called Karungi on phone and asked to meet at the bus park in Masanafu. Kateregga and Karungi met at a garage. While there, Karungi was tasked to identify Kirumira’s car. It was a black Kibiina (Corona).
According to the witness, Karungi was promised an unspecified amount of money to accomplish the task.
Starting the job, on September 6th and 7th 2018, Karungi went to the parking yard to identify the car but failed to see until the next day when it was parked outside the same place with Kirumira and Mbabazi inside at at around 7 pm.
Court further heard that Karungi informed Kateregga, who came dressed casually riding on a motorcycle with Mwebe clad in black and armed with an SMG (machine gun).
As Karungi was leaving, he heard gunshots. Kirumira and Mbabazi had been killed. Kateregga reportedly returned to the car where Karungi was and drove off, while Mwebe, rode a motorcycle to an unknown destination.
According to the witness, Karungi later went to his mother’s place in Mpigi district where he spent a night. He later went back to his place in Ndejje Kibutika, Makindye Sabagabo up to 22nd September 2018 when he was informed that Mwebe had been arrested.
State witness testifies in Kirumira
He then took a taxi to Adjumani district to see his brother identified as Ssese. The group was later arrested and taken to SID Kireka on 28th September.
But Karungi’s lawyer Zefania Zimbe asked Court to retract the statement on the basis that it was written by security personnel and that their client had signed it under duress after he had allegedly been beaten and subjected to torture.
However, in her ruling, Mutonyi declined to retract Karungi ‘s statement and asked the defense lawyers to cross-examine Walimbwa.
The hearing of the case which is being conducted under a special session will continue on Friday as the prosecutors led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Thomas Jatiko and State Attorney Joseph Kyomuhendo adduce more evidence in the case.
