Man who shot dead Bugiri Imam denies co-accused before army court

Biasaali Mugoya, 40, a supervisor at SGA Uganda Limited, a private security company who recently pleaded guilty to shooting dead Bugiri cleric, Sheikh Masudi Mutumba has said he does not know any of his co-accused.

Last week, Mugoya told the General Court Martial in Makindye that he personally shot dead Mutumba over differences they had.

On Monday, Mugoya said he does not know any of the seven other people with whom he is accused of planning the mission.

“I reaffirm that I shot him but I was alone. I was not helped by anyone. I don’t know these other people,” he told court.

However, in response, the army lead prosecutor, Lt. Col.Raphael Mugisha asked court to change Mugoya’s plea from guilty to not guilty.

“Since he is contradicting with facts, a plea of not guilty should be entered,”Mugisha said.

The General Court Martial chairman, Lt.Gen.Andrew Gutti accepted to have the plea changed to not guilty.

The case has been adjourned to March 31 for mention.

On February, 14, Sheikh Mutumba, 60, the Iman for Iwemba Mosque in Iwemba parish, Iwemba sub-county in Bugiri district who was shot dead as he returned home from prayers at around 9:45 pm.

Eight people mostly from the same family were arraigned before the General Court Martial in Makindye chaired by Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti and charged with the gruesome murder of the Muslim cleric contrary to section 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act.

These include Biasali Mugoya, James Baliddhusa, a Local Defence Unit personnel, John Mary Jagenda, a special hire driver and resident of Lubowa Sseguku in Wakiso district, Alex Mugoya a security guard with Harsh Security Company, Amos Kojja , Sulaiman Konta, Charles Mwandha and Ashraf Mugoya.

Despite a number of them being civilians, the group was arraigned before the army court because one of the co-accused, Balidhusa Mugoya is Local Defence Unit personnel and is subject military law by virtue of section 119(1) (h) of the UPDF Act 2005.

Section 119(g) of the UPDF Act 2005 stipulates that every person otherwise not subject to military law but aids or abets a person subject to military law is liable to be tried by the army court.

 

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