Gen Wamala attempted murder: Accused man collapses in court

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One of the six men charged with the attempted murder of works and transport minister Gen. Katumba Wamala collapsed during a court session on Thursday (March 27).

During the proceedings at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala, Abudullah Aziz Ramadhan collapsed in the dock, causing tension inside the courtroom.

He appeared unconscious and not long after, he was taken out the dock for medical attention.

When the accused man collapsed, the presiding judges: Susan Okalany, Dr Winfred Nabisinde, Richard Wabwire Wejuli and Vicent Wagona adjourned the court session for 10 minutes to allow Ramadhan to be attended to.

When court resumed, the prosecution team led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Lino Anguzu asked court for an adjournment, prompting the judges to adjourn the matter until April 24 this year.

The judges directed the prisons medical personnel to examine Ramadhan and provide a report on his medical state at the next hearing date.

Muhammad Kagugube, Sirimani Kisambira, Kamada Walusimbi, Huzaifa Wampa and Habib Ramadhan Marjan are the other accused persons.

They have been indicted with 30 charges, including the attempted murder of minister Wamala in a June 1, 2021 attack.

That day, the minister was attacked by gunmen riding on boda-boda in Kisaasi Central Zone in Kampala's Nakawa division.

Katumba survived with gunshot wounds while his daughter Brenda Nantongo and driver Sgt Haruna Kayondo were murdered.

The accused men are also battling several other counts of murder, attempted murder and aggravated robbery in connection to similar attacks at Cheap Hardware in Nansana, City Shopper’s supermarket in Kanyanya and Denovo Bakery in Kalerwe.

According to the indictment, the accused allegedly attacked the hardware on May 29, 2019. While at it, they are accused of killing Frank Abaho Mutsinda, Frank Anania, Jimmy Atukuru and Amin Bugembe — in addition to the attempted murder of Tedrin Nalule and robbery of sh385 million.

This happened a month after the group attacked a supermarket in Kanyanya, according to the prosecution.

On April 27, 2019, the accused and others still at large allegedly stormed the supermarket, killing Burton Okoti, and attempt ed to murder Jalia Nantambi. They allegedly robbed sh6.7 million.

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

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

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

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

Lubwama was killed in November 2021 in a joint operation by security organs in Nabweru, Wakiso district.

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