Lawyer Mukisa murder: Senior Police officer Irama seeks bail

Superintendent of Police Vincent Irama Urri, 45, accused of murdering city lawyer Ronnie Mukisa has sought bail.

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

Applying for bail before the General Court Martial (GCM) chaired by Brig. Gen. Freeman Mugabe, Irama, who is attached to Kampala Metropolitan North, based his bail application on six grounds through his lawyer, Elizabeth Nyasingwa.

Irama on Tuesday told the court that he has substantial sureties and that his being in Luzira Upper Prisons risks his life for there are prisoners in whose arrest he participated as a senior Police officer and that they may harm him.

“My lord, whereas the applicant has a fixed place of abode, a family man with a wife and five children whom he is the sole breadwinner, some of his fellow prisoners were arrested by him (Irama) before his incarceration. So, we pray that he is granted bail to face trial when he is out of prison for the safety of his life,” the accused’s lawyer told court.

The applicant further stated that he was ready to abide by the court’s bail terms once granted and that he would also deposit the land sale agreement of his home to the court.

Among the sureties presented are Peninah Irama, his wife, and his friends John Asobasi and Anthony Kirama, among others.

Responding to the bail application, state prosecutor Private Regina Nanzala asked for a fortnight to enable them to respond appropriately.

“My lord chairman and honourable court members, two weeks will be enough for us to verify the appellant’s sureties and documents attached,” Nanzala said.

This prompted Gen. Mugabe to adjourn the case to August 1, 2023, for the state to respond.

Other co-accused

Irama is charged alongside 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.

However, Irama's co-accused have not yet sought bail.

The charge

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.

Background and arrest

Preliminary investigations revealed that Mukisa was killed over allegations that he swindled $1m (about sh3.7b) from his business partners, who are among the suspects.

Court documents indicate that Mukisa’s business associates Karedou and his wife Nalwoga, who while at the GCM denied any wrongdoing allegedly hired Cpl Anyase and SSgt Ayubu to have him killed.

Anyase and Ayubu reportedly fled from DR Congo, where they had been deployed under Operation Shujaa before completing the said mission