Hitman gets 18 years for stealing motorcycle

By Job Bwire

A 30-year-old man convicted of aggravated robbery has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment by the High Court in Kampala.

Godwill Kanyanya, a resident of Namuwongo, Makindye division Kampala district was on Monday sent to prison by Justice Elizabeth Alividza of the High Court after he was found guilty of stealing a bodaboda motorcycle.

 According to Prosecution, the convict hit a security guard into unconsciousness with an iron bar on the morning of February 15 last year.

After striking Siadi Kiggundu on the head, leaving him with grave injuries, Kanyanya instantly made off with a motorcycle belonging to Simon Abaho.

While reading the sentence, Justice Alividza said prosecution had proved all the ingredients of aggravated robbery and there was no doubt Kanyanya had committed the crime.

She said the victims – Kiggundu and Abaho – who were among the prosecution witnesses, had squarely connected Kanyanya to the offence.

In his testimony, according to the judge, Kiggundu on the fateful day at around 1.00am local time, while guarding a parking yard in Kabalagala, said someone he did not know hit him on the head and stole Abaho’s motorcycle.

He could not identify the person who had hit him because he became unconscious immediately. However, his evidence was corroborated by Abaho, who owned the motorcycle in question.

Abaho had earlier testified before court that on the night of the attack at around 3:00am while riding a client from Kabalagala headed for the city centre on his other bodaboda, he saw Kanyanya pushing a motorcycle, similar to the one he had left with Kiggundu the previous day.

He immediately called at the parking yard and Kiggundu told him that his motorcycle had been stolen. When he stopped Kanyanya to check, he identified the motorcycle by the registration as his.

He then intercepted Kanyanya before making an alarm that attracted neighbors.

The robber was arrested and detained at Kabalagala police station, subsequently leading to his prosecution and sentence.

Family man

“According to the Penal Code of Uganda, your offense attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. However, considering the new sentencing guidelines, you are supposed to be jailed for not less than 30 years,” Justice Alividza declared.

She added: “But I will give you 18 years considering the fact that you are still a young man and also considering the time you have been on remand [one year and nine months].”

Prior to the sentence, prosecution had asked for a deterrent sentence on claims that such cases of aggravated robbery are rampant and on the increase while Kanyanya’s lawyer, Joyce Nalubega had asked for a lenient and reformatory sentence on claims that his case was not so grave.

Given a chance to address court, Kanyanya apologized for the offence before asking court for a lenient sentence.

He told court he was a family man with three kids who needed his close attention.

However, Justice Alividza pronounced the sentence and said Kanyanya had a right to appeal against her decision within 14 days, if he was not satisfied with her decision.