Judgment pending in appeal by Mowzey Radio’s killer

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The Court of Appeal is set to deliver its judgment in the appeal filed by Godfrey Wamala, who was convicted for the killing of singer Moses Ssekibogo, popularly known as Mowzey Radio.

Wamala alias Troy was sentenced to 13 years in prison by the High Court in Entebbe in 2019 after being found guilty of manslaughter. Mowzey Radio succumbed to injuries at Case Hospital in Kampala on February 1, 2018, following a brawl at De Bar in Entebbe on January 22, 2018.

Although he had initially been charged with murder, Justice Jane Abodo convicted him of the lesser offence of manslaughter, ruling that while he was at the crime scene, there was no evidence proving he acted with malice aforethought to kill the musician. 

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, but after deducting the time spent on remand, he was left with 13 years and three months to serve.

When the appeal came up for hearing on Wednesday, April 2, Wamala’s lawyer, Sylvia Namubiru, was absent. He informed the court that she had promised to visit him in prison this week but had not yet done so, adding he expected to see her the following day.

State prosecutor, Joseph Kyomuhendo, from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions told the court that the prosecution had already responded to the appellant’s submissions and had even been served twice—the first time in November last year.

Appearing via video conferencing from Luzira Maximum Prison, Wamala insisted that he was not trying to delay the case but was facing circumstances beyond his control.

However, deputy registrar of the Criminal Division, Lilian Buchana, noted that this was the second time the appeal had been scheduled but failed to proceed.

Wamala is appealing against both his conviction and sentence, arguing that the trial court failed to properly evaluate the evidence, leading to a wrongful decision.

The judges have now adopted the submissions on record and will deliver their judgment on notice.