A senior Police officer accused of masterminding, and causing the death of lawyer Ronnie Mukisa has been denied bail. 

Mukisa was gunned down on May 30, 2023, at 11:00 pm, while at his home in Kitiko-Birongo, Ndejje Division in Wakiso District. 

General Court Martial (GCM) chairperson Brig. Gen. Robert Freeman Mugabe declined to release incarcerated Superintendent of Police Vincent Irama Urri on bail, saying that he (Irama) did not prove to the court that he had a fixed place of abode. 

Mugabe further ruled that the charge against Irama was capital in nature and that he was likely to interfere with investigations, given his status and seniority in the Police Force, which is investigating the case. 

“In the premises, this court finds no merit in the application and declines to grant bail to the applicant. The application is hereby dismissed and court orders an expeditious trial in the main case,” ruled Gen. Mugabe. 

It was also the GCM’s observation that the appellant's sureties were substantial, but the court ruled that the offence against him was serious in nature and that he was likely to abscond if released on bail. 

Represented by Elizabeth Nyasingwa, Irama had in August sought bail, arraigning Peninah Irama, his wife, and his friends John Asobasi and Anthony Kirama as his sureties. 

In their response, to the bail application, the prosecution led by Private Regina Nanzala, objected to the same, telling the GCM that the applicant (Irama) was a flight risk. 

“The applicant is a senior Police officer who holds an influential office [Deputy RPC Kampala Metropolitan North] and, therefore, has access to the would-be State witnesses and if granted bail, he is likely to interfere and compromise with investigations,” Nanzala told the court and sought for denial of bail for Irama. 

Co-accused  

Irama is battling the charge alongside five others, who are yet to seek bail. 

They are army officers Corporal Geoffrey Mark Anyesa, 51, a resident of Kisasi, Kulambiro in Nakawa division in Kampala, and Sergeant Rashid Ayup Okot, 33, aboding at Kafunda Kazo, Nabweru in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District. 

Others are civilians Mzee Josebert Hayeza, 51; Robert Irama Kareodu, 50 and his wife Brenda Cathy Nalwoga, 29, both residents of Kisasi in Kampala. 

The charge 

The prosecution alleges that Irama, Anyase, Ayubu, Hayeza, Kareodu and Nalwoga on or around May 30, 2023, at about 2300 hours at Katiko in Wakiso district, with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the death of Mukisa. 

The court remanded Irama back to Kitalya Government Prison without stating the return date.