Suspect Denies Statement

By Edith Kimuli ONE of the people accused of the murder of Prince Happy Kijanangoma, on Friday said he did not willingly make the statement that implicated former Toro Prime Minister, John Sanyu Katuramu, as the principal offender in the case. Patrick Kwezi, through his lawyer, Nsubuga Mubiru, told Justice John Bosco Katutsi, that he never made the statement that was about to be tendered in court willingly and objected to its exhibition as evidence. Detective Charles Mbabazi had informed court that he took a statement from Kwezi at CID headquarters and took a charge and caution statement from him about the murder. Court ruled that a trial be held to determine whether what Kwezi was alleging was true. This is the second trial within a trial in the Kijanangoma case. The first was held when Alex Twinomugisha, also accused, alleged that he was tortured by the military and forced to sign the statement. However, court ruled that he made the statement willingly and did not have any sign of torture. Kwezi, Katuramu, Twinomugisha, Bob Weswala and Jimmy Okumu Rombo were charged with the murder of Kijanangoma and a guard, Stephen Kaganda, on March 25, 1999, at Palace View Bar in Fort Portal. The first witness in the trial within a trial, SP Pius Mutabaazi, who is the Kasese district Police Commander, said Kwezi was arrested from Give and Take building opposite UCB in Kasese on April 14, 2000. He said this was after the Police received information that Kwezi was in town and that he was for some months wanted by the Police as a suspect in the murder case. Mutabazi, said he talked to Kwezi, who was healthy and was able to identify him by the scars on his face. He said he handed over Kwezi to Omoding of CID headquarters on April 15, 2000. Ends