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The International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala has confirmed 30 charges against six men implicated in the attempted murder of works minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala.

They are Muhammad Kagugube, Sirimani Kisambira, Kamada Walusimbi, Huzaifa Wampa, Abudullah Aziz Ramadhan and Habib Ramadhan Marjan.

Confirming the charges against them on Monday, March 18, Justice Alice Komuhangi ruled that the evidence adduced by the prosecution implicates them.

The judge relied on certificates of ADF allegedly obtained from some of the accused, and Al-Qaeda literature among other pieces of evidence to confirm the charges against them.

Part of the evidence adduced in court by the prosecution indicates that the group was sending the robbed money to an ADF camp based in the Democratic Republic of Congo through their master Hussein Lubwama.

Lubwama, the alleged team leader of the group was killed in November 2021 in a joint operation by security organs at Nabweru in Wakiso district.

Lubwama and the six are implicated in the wave of armed robberies and murders of both civilian and government officials between March 2017 and June 2021.

The judge, however, acquitted Hussein Sserubula and Yusuf Siraje Nyanzi of the charges saying the evidence brought against them was insufficient.

Gen. Katumba was on June 1, 2021, attacked at Kisaasi Central Zone in Nakawa Division in Kampala district leading to the arrest of the group.

During the attack, Gen. Katumba survived several gunshot wounds while his daughter Brenda Nantongo, and his driver Sgt Haruna Kayondo were murdered in cold blood.

Besides the deadly attack on Gen. Katumba, the accused are also battling several other counts of murder, attempted murder, and aggravated robbery in connection to similar attacks at Cheap Hardware in Nansana, City Shoppers supermarket in Kanyanya, and Denovo Bakery in Kalerwe respectively.

According to the indictment, the group on May 29, 2019, allegedly attacked Cheap Hardware in Nansana, killing Frank Abaho Mutsinda, Frank Anania, Jimmy Atukuru, and Amin Bugembe, attempted the murder of Tedrin Nalule and robbed sh385m.

Regarding the City Shoppers attack, the prosecution alleges that on April 27, 2019, the accused and others still at large attacked the supermarket killing Burton Okoti, attempted murder of Jalia Nantambi, and robbery of sh6.7m.

The group has also been indicted with the murder of Special Police Constables (SPC) Hussein Mubiru, Moses Kalungi, and Edward Ssenyonzi, and the robbery of sh34.7m on September 16, 2017, at Denovo Bakery in Kalerwe, Kampala.

Other charges include the murder of Evarest Kizza, Angello Nantongo, and Nawal Nakatudde on September 16, 2017.

They also face alternative counts on terrorism, financing, and belonging to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

The prosecution alleges that between March 2017 and June 2022 in various places in Kampala, Luweero, Kasese, and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the group rendered support to Hussein Lubwama alias master having reasons to believe that the support will be applied or used in connection with the instigation of acts of terrorism.

Chief state attorney Lilian Omara, senior state attorney Jacquelyn Okwi, and Marion Ben-Bella represent the state while Sylvia Namawejje, Geoffrey Turyamusiima, and Luyimbaazi Nalukoola represent the accused persons.