Car trader testifies in Magara murder case

A car trader has testified that he was involved in the transfer of a vehicle in the names of Hajarah Nakandi after she allegedly paid sh10m owed to businessman John Mugamba who had previously bought it.

Nakandi is among the nine people accused of kidnapping and murdering Susan Magara on February 27, 2018, after receiving a ransom of $200,000 (about sh700m) from her family.

According to prosecution, this money was used by the suspects to procure land, and vehicles among other items.

The kidnap

Susan, 28, a daughter of businessman John Magara was kidnapped on February 7, 2018, along Kabaka Anjagala road in Mengo city suburbs as she drove back to her Lungujja home about three kilometres away.

Her kidnappers then contacted the family and demanded $1m (about sh3.65b) before they could release her.

Despite the family having delivered $200,000 (about sh700m) to the kidnappers, Magara was murdered and three weeks later her body was recovered from Kigo in Wakiso district on February 27, 2018, where it had been dumped.

On Friday, November 8, while testifying as the 30th prosecution witness in the matter on Friday, Imamul Hassan, 41, the director of Multi-Auto Uganda Limited, a car outlet said in December 2017, he sold the vehicle in question (Costa registration number UBB 731R) to Mugamba at sh90m and he instantly paid sh80m remaining with a balance of sh10m.

“In March 2018, he came with Nakandi and he told me to cancel the logbook in his name and transfer it into Nakandi’s name. Nakandi paid the money and the transfer was done,” Hassan said.

He said before changing the ownership he requested Mugamba to give him a written request which he did.

Hassan testified under the guidance of chief state attorneys Sherifah Nalwanga and Irene Nakimbugwe. High Court Judge Alex Mackay Ajiji is presiding over the trial.

Asked by defence lawyers John Kabagambe, Richard Kumbuga, Simon Peter Wanda and Zaina Nabukenya on how he knew that the lady he was dealing with was Nakandi, Hassan said she showed him her national identity card.

Asked how long he interacted with Nakandi, Hassan said it was about 30-40 minutes.

Moved by Kumbuga to tell court the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicle, Hassan said he does not remember them unless he looked at the documents.

Nakandi is battling the charges together with Ismail Bukenya, Mahad Kisalita, Yusuf Lubega, Muzamir Ssali, Hassan Kato, Hussein Wasswa, Abubaker Kyewolwa and Abbas Musa Buvumbo.

Testifying as the 31st prosecution witness in the matter, Daniel Ndawula Muwonge, 58, the proprietor of Kalaza brothers motor maintenance car parking in Mukono district said on April 28, 2018, Nakandi parked her car registration number UBB 993J at his premises and it remained there until April 30, 2018, when the police impounded it.

“On April 28, 2018, the lady came and parked in my parking lot. My worker Musa brought her to me and she paid the parking fees and I issued her a receipt because she demanded it. However, the car remained in the parking lot until April 30, 2018, when the police impounded it,” he said.

After the car was impounded, Muwonge said he was later summoned by police to record a statement over the vehicle which he did.

However, the court declined to admit the receipt as part of the prosecution evidence on the grounds that it does meet the standards.

Hearing of the case resumes on Monday.

The allegations

The prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large on February 7, 2018, kidnapped Susan with the intent to procure a ransom for her liberation from the danger of being murdered.

The indictment indicates that Magara was a victim of a ransom scheme hatched by Yakub Byensi, a former combatant with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels who hails from Bunyoro like her and that he was known to her family as well Lubega who used to work in Container Village with Magara’s mother. Byensi is still at large.

Armed with insider information, the suspects, according to the prosecution, started trailing Magara until they kidnapped her in Lungujja on her way home.

They allegedly first took her to Nakandi’s home in Nateete and later to Amir Bukenya’s home in Konge II Makindye from where her two fingers were cut off and sent them to her family to show their determination to murder her if ransom money was not paid.

The indictment indicates that the decision to kill Magara was because releasing her would expose the kidnappers.

The prosecution alleges that part of the money was used by the accused persons to buy several pieces of the land in Buikwe and Luweero district respectively.