Mukulu trial resumes Monday as co-accused seek plea bargain

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The trial of former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel commander Jamilu Mukulu, who faces murder and terrorism charges, is set to resume Monday (March 30, 2026) with proceedings expected to focus on a plea bargain involving his co-accused.

New Vision has established that five people jointly charged with Mukulu with treason have applied for a plea bargain.

A plea bargain is a negotiated arrangement in criminal proceedings where an accused person agrees to plead guilty to the charge in exchange for concessions from the prosecution, such as reduced charges or a lighter sentence.

A source also revealed that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is seeking to withdraw charges against two of Mukulu’s co-accused.

However, the prosecution did not disclose the identities of those who have applied for a plea bargain or the accused persons whose charges may be dropped.

The International Crimes Division of the High Court is being presided over by a panel of justices comprising Michael Elubu, Dr Andrew Bashaija, Susan Okalany and Stephen Mubiru.

The Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Thomas Jatiko and Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka are prosecuting the case, while the accused persons are represented by defence lawyers Caleb Alaka, Evans Ochieng, Patrick Kasumba, Asuman Basalirwa and Sylivia Namwanje, among others.

Mukulu is battling charges of murder and terrorism alongside 37 other accused persons, including Ali Kabambwe, also known as Munakenya. The offences of terrorism and murder carry a maximum penalty of death upon conviction.

Mukulu and the group are implicated in the murder of seven people, including Sheikh Abdukadir Muwaya and Sheikh Yunus Abubaker Madangu. The others who were killed are Buyinja subcounty LC3 chairperson David Tito Okware, Julius Owori, police constable Muzamir Babale, special police constable Karim Tenywa and John Stephen Owori.

According to the prosecution, the accused persons allegedly committed the offences between 2002 and 2015 in various districts, including Kampala and Namayingo district. The accused have since denied the charges.

Court records indicate that four witnesses have so far testified in the matter, including Vincent Ekweny, who told the court that Okware was shot dead in 2015 by Ali Kabambwe, one of the murder and terrorism suspects.

On November 18, 2025, Ekweny, a peasant farmer from Namavundu in Namayingo District, told the court that on February 4, 2025, he was summoned to Nalufenya Police Station in Jinja district to identify suspects who had been arrested over murder.

Ekweny stated that during the identification parade, he recognised Kabambwe as the man who shot his uncle, Okware.

He stated that he saw Kabambwe’s face on the night of his uncle’s murder, saying this was made possible by the moonlight on the fateful evening.

Ekweny recounted that on February 1, 2015, he was working at a gold mine in Nakundi, Namayingo District, when his uncle arrived to check on him. The witness told the court that they spent the afternoon together while Okware examined faulty machinery at the site.

“We later returned to Okware’s home at around 6:00 pm,” he stated.

As they settled in, Ekweny said he sat on the verandah while his uncle went to the kitchen and returned with a jackfruit. Ekweny said Okware then moved to sit on the neighbour’s veranda, just a few metres away from his home.

“It was at this point that I saw a motorcycle carrying three men slowly passing through the compound along a small feeder road. The motorcycle had no number plate, and although its headlamp was in full beam, the bright moonlight allowed me to see clearly,” Ekweny stated.

Ekweny revealed that moments later, the motorcycle returned with two men and the passenger, Kabambwe, jumped off and ran towards him, stopping close enough for the two to stare at each other for nearly two minutes.

According to the witness, the assailant then turned towards Okware and shot him as he sat on the neighbour’s verandah.

The court heard that Uganda Police officers later arrived at the scene but were chased away by angry residents, who accused them of responding too late.