KAMPALA – Detective 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 Maj Noel Mwesigye.
The suspects are Mansoor Olenga, Rashid Yiga alias Mucholi, Steven Kisuule and Rogers Mwanje.
According to the prosecution, on January 17, 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 Maj Mwesigye by shooting.
The prosecution also alleges further that the group also robbed Mwesigye of his pistol before running away with Ugx490, 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 centre. 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 Mansoor Olega and Rashid Yiga confessed to him that they had killed Maj Mwesigye.
However, upon cross-examination by Capt Nsubuga Busagwa, the accused’s lawyer accused detective Mukwaya who was on oath for failure to convince the court whether the four accused persons were directly responsible for killing Maj 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 metres away. Mukwaya told the court that he partly investigated the matter. Brig Gen Robert Freeman Mugabe adjourned the case to January 31, 2022, for further hearing.
