COURT | MURDER | MAJ MWESIGYE 

KAMPALA - A Senior Police officer has told the court that two of the four suspects accused of killing former commander of the Special Forces Commando Unit Maj Noel Mwesigye have confessed to the offence.

The accused are Manisur Olenga, 35; Rashid Yiga alias Mucholi, 35; Steven Kisuule, 28 and Rogers Mwanje, 24.

Mwesigye was one of Uganda People’s Defence Forces' (UPDF) finest commandos and took part in UPDF’s decisive battles against al Shabaab in Somalia.

He, however, met his death in January 2021 after gunmen ambushed him while at his farm in Luwero district.

Appearing before the General Court Martial (GCM) Monday, assistant inspector of Police (AIP) John Leonard Mukwaya testified that Olega and Yiga confessed before him when and how they killed Mwesigye.

“Olega and Yiga accepted to have participated in the murder of Major Mwesigye, the two even took us to Masinga village, Kikyusa sub-county in Luwero district where they dumped the body,” Mukyawa told the court.

Mukwaya, also an investigation officer, attached to Luwero Police, added that Kisuule did not participate in the murder, but he admitted to driving the suspects to the scene where the deceased was killed.

Pictured in the dock are the suspects on murder charges, they are accused of killing the former commander of Special Forces Commando Unit, Maj Noel Mwesigye. (All Photos by Douglas Mubiru)

“The motorcycle Reg. No UEV 185W Bajaj Boxer that the three used to travel before killing Mwesigye belonged to their co-accused, Mwanje,” Mukwaya added.

Asked by defence lawyer Capt. Nsubuga Busagwa to explain whether Mwanje participated in the alleged murder, Mukwaya said: “Mwanje did not participate in the murder, but the gun that was used to kill the deceased was found hidden at his residence in his house.”

Lt Gift Mubehamwe, Privates Anthony Phillip Olupot and Regina Nanzala were the state prosecutors and the case was adjourned to Tuesday, January 31, 2023, for further hearing.

Charges 

The prosecution alleges that on or around January 17, 2021, Olega, Yiga, Kisuule, Mwanje and others still at large, while at Masinga village, Kikyusa, in Luwero with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the death of Mwesigye using a submachine gun serial number, UG-UPDF-48003239, the said gun being ordinarily a monopoly of the defence forces. 

It is also purported that the accused and others still at large during the same day, time and place robbed Mwesigye of his Pistol Thurus NO. UG-UPDF TAO-48003239, a monopoly of the defence forces.

That the accused also allegedly robbed Barbra Katiti of sh490,000 and immediately before or after the said robbery was in possession of a gun, a monopoly of the Defence Forces.