On 28th March 1999 Tooro's Prince Happy Kiijanangoma and a one Kaganda were shot dead in Fort Portal by Alex Twinomugisha, an army deserter. The assassins had been hired by the then Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister, John Katuuramu.
Happy Kiijanangoma had been spearheading the mobilisation of the royals in Tooro to move a vote of no confidence against John Katuuramu for his alleged role in theft of the Kingdom property. Kiijanangoma was shot dead two days before he was to testify against Katuraamu in the High Court over the same matter.
As the search for Kiijanangoma's killer was ongoing, around June 1999 the same Alex Twinomugisha shot dead three Makerere University students around Wandegeya. One of the slain students, Cpl. Kajabago Mirundi was a potential witness in the Murder of Happy Kiijanangoma three months earlier. Cpl. Mirindi Kajabago who knew Alex Twinomugisha had witnessed the later at the scene of crime in Fort Portal shortly before Kiijanangoma was shot.
The following month in June 1999, military intelligence arrested the assailant Alex Twinomugisha over the murder of the three university students. It is alleged that Alex Twinomugisha confessed to having been hired by John Katuuramu to kill Happy Kiijanangoma and later Cpl. Mirindi Kajabago. John Katuuramu was arrested and charged with murder of Happy Kiijanangoma whereby in 2001 he was convicted over murder charges and sentenced to death. He appealed the sentence in the Court of Appeal which unfortunately upheld the conviction in 2002. He again appeal to the Supreme Court which also upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal in May 2003.
In November 2001, a Supreme Court ruling required that a condemned prisoner must be executed within three years of confirmation of sentence. Consequently, Katuraamu's death sentence was automatically reduced to life imprisonment which translates to 20 years. He is almost finishing his sentence and regaining his freedom. It remains to be seen if he will face fresh murder charges related to the three slain Makerere students.
Katuraamu is married to the sister of Brig. Noble Mayombo who was the Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI) at the time the murder was committed and the subsequent trial and conviction. Despite his (Mayombo) record breaking brutality, undue influence peddling and being the worst human rights violator ever in the history of the Museveni regime, Mayombo could not save his in-law, John Katuuramu.
This was because of the much stronger influence of the mainstream Tooro royal family (Mayombo belonged to the peripheral royal blood), Mayombo's hypocrisy and Museveni's game plan. In 2001, Mayombo hypocritically carried out brutality on his own brother, Maj. Okwir Rabwooni at Entebbe Airport in order to stop him from taking a campaign flight with Dr. Besigye. Katuuramu had so much been helped by the NRA during the 1985 interim administration in the western region when he struck lucrative trade deals with the lead NRA commanders, Fred Rwigyema and Jim Muhweezi. He has been writing to Museveni reminding him of the past financial 'contribution’ in his quest for pardon.
A 2001 Commission of Inquiry into irregular purchase of junk helicopters for the army recommended the prosecution of Museveni's young brother Gen. Saleh for bribery and causing financial loss of US$ 7M. However, Museveni vehemently shielded him thus; "......I think Gen. Saleh told me about US$ 800,000 commission, since I did not want to delay the delivery of the helicopters that were badly needed to fight Kony, I told Saleh to go ahead and receive the commission but surrender it to the army for special operations in the north."
Museveni's pardoning of Gen. Saleh cleared the way for a series of financial scandals involving very heavy sums of the tax payer's money and state property by the same "retired" General who is above the law.
Around 2011 the then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Kashaka Muhanguzi stole 4.6b shillings meant for purchase of bicycles for Local Council officials. It had to take a parliamentary resolution for Kashaka to be charged before the Anti-Corruption Court. In January 2013, his trial commenced and in July 2014 he was convicted to 10 years’ imprisonment and ordered to refund the money. In November 2014, he was released on bail pending appeal and since then he has been a free man as his five co-accused languish in prison. Muhanguzi Kashaka is from Kiruhura and is the elder brother to Brig. Steven Kashaka and Col. John Kashaka. His bail application was facilitated by Cadre Justice Steven Kavuma after Justice Salome Bbossa had rejected it. One of his sureties was Brig. Amos Makumbi, the then ISO chief.
In January 2013, Police Chief, Gen. Kalekyezi's sister in law, Jackie Uwera was alleged to have murdered her husband, Juvernal Nsenga. Gen. Kalekyezi fought very hard to have the charges reduced to traffic offence but succumbed to pressure from the politically powerful deceased's family comprised of Mzei Don't Kananura and the then DPP, Richard Buteera. In September 2013, she was committed to the High Court for trial over murder. Gen. Kalekyezi went ahead to compel the Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations, Godfrey Musana testify in defence of the accused - it has never happened anywhere in the world.
In September 2014, she was convicted for murder. On 4th January, 2017 a one Brian Bagenda murdered his girl friend, Enid Twijukye in Kampala. He was assisted by domestic servants, one Byamugisha and Vincent Rwahwire before disposing off the body in Namanve Forest from where it was recovered by the Police on 13th January, 2017. Four days later, on 17th January 2017, the Police arrested Brian Bagyenda and his two accomplices for murder. Shortly after, a video recording of Brian Bagyenda's confession to murdering Enid Twijukye went viral on social media. On 24th January 2017, Museveni appointed Brian Bagyenda’s father, Col. Kaka Bagyenda as the new Internal Security chief (DG/ISO). Col. Kaka Bagyenda had fought the Bush War and retired from the army in 1993 at the rank of Major. In 2014, Museveni promoted him to the rank of Colonel. His job description includes among other obligations, securing the lives and property of Ugandans.
On February 1st 2017, Brian Bagenda and his accomplices were arraigned before court and charged with murder of Enid Twijukye. The deceased who hailed from Kiruhura was a 2nd Year University student of International relations. He sister is married to a senior army officer under CMI. In mid June 2017, the three accused were committed to the High Court for trial over murder. Note the suspiciously impressive speed at which the matter is moving!
In 12th November, 2017 Kenneth Akena was shot dead by assailants in a parking yard in Kampala. A one Mathew Kanyamunyu and his Burundian girl friend, Cynthia Munwangari claimed to have witnessed the shooting by strangers and only helped to rush the victim to the hospital. On 22nd January 2017, Mathew Kanyamunyu, his Bother Joseph Kanyamunyu and girlfriend, Cynthia were charged with murder of Akena.
On January 31st 2017 the Magistrates Court at Nakawa committed the three to the High Court for trial. Bickering and negative tribal sentiments between the Banyankole Bahima and the Acholi ensued prompting Police to summon Kanyamunyu's aunt, Edith Byanyima. On 28th March 2017, High Court granted bail to Joseph Kanyamunyu and Cynthia Munwangari. On 4th April 2017 Mathew Kanyamunyu filed a notice of intention to appeal against the decision on his bail application. On the same day, Museveni paid a visit to the late Akena's family in Kitgum where he assured them of a fair trial. Kanyamunyu is a brother to Col. Michael Kanyamunyu of the elite Presidential Guard unit, the SFC.
WHY WOULD #UGANDA REGIME SHIELD #KANYAMUNYU?
A week ago, a Kampala businessman, Mathew Kanyamunyu shot dead a social worker, Kenneth Akena at the parking area of one of the shopping malls in Kampala. Since then the regime has behaved in such a way as to shield the culprit from the long arm of the law.
The trial has not yet commenced but the record breaking supersonic speed by which investigations were completed and the accused committed to the High Court within less than a month is suspect. It is a norm for much more straight forward cases to take years before being committed to the High Court.
On 8th April 2017, the Minister of Labour, Kabafunzaki was arrested over corruption charges. Together with two of his close aides, he was on 11th April 2017 charged with corruption related charges and remanded. The following day on 12th April 2017 he was granted bail. Two months later, today the DPP declared that investigations were complete. He has subsequently been committed by the Anti-Corruption Court's Chief Magistrate to the High Court's Anti-Corruption Division where they are to appear on 12th July 2017. Criminal Justice in Uganda looks expeditious!
All godfathers are equal but some are more equal than others.
INFORMATION IS POWER AND DEFIANCE IS THE WAY TO GO.
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