Septic tank murder: Onebe case hearing resumes

___________

KAMPALA - The hearing of a case in which businessman Francis Onebe is accused of killing his wife, resumes today, August 20, 2024, at the High Court in Kampala.

High Court judge Michael Elubu is hearing the case. Principal state attorney Joseph Kyomuhendo is prosecuting the case, while defence lawyers Patrick Kasamba, David Oluka and Joshua Emorut are defending Onebe and security guard Bonny Oriekot.

In the last court session, Twaha Semanda, an assistant inspector of Police attached to Kabalagala Police Station, told court that businessman Francis Onebe paid shillings 11 million for information about his wife’s whereabouts.

The Police officer also stated that Onebe told him that his wife, Immaculate Mary Blessing Aiso, was alive and in detention at Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) in Kampala over security reasons.

“Onebe sent someone to CMI to confirm if his wife was in detention after depositing shillings 11 million to the mobile number registered in the name of Moses Etiyu. However, Onebe refused to show security operatives the person, prompting the Police to trace him,” he testified.

The witness said they eventually arrested a person identified as Alex Ochola, who had the phone, in Tororo district, but they later discovered that he was innocent and released him.

Allegations

Onebe, 63, an accountant by profession, is accused of killing his wife, and later dumping her body in a septic tank. The offence of murder elicits a maximum sentence of death, on conviction.

The businessman together with his security guard, Bonny Oriekot, 26, has spent over two years on remand at Luzira Prison after being denied bail twice.

Background

On January 6, 2021, Onebe reported a case of his missing wife at Buziga Police post and investigations commenced. He claimed that her wife was picked up by plainclothes operatives travelling in a ‘drone’ and taken to an unknown destination.

A week later, her body was recovered from a septic tank at the couple’s residence by the joint security team headed by the Crime Investigation Department of the Police Force.
Police preliminary investigations reveal that Onebe and wife, Aiso, parted ways and after 14 years reunited and formally married until her murder.

Following a Police probe, Onebe was arrested and charged with the murder of his wife before Makindye Chief Magistrates Court and later committed to the High Court for trial after completion of investigations.

He is battling murder charges together with Oriekot, a security guard attached to Pentagon Security.

In the committal papers, the Director of Public Prosecutions reveals that Onebe and Aiso had a dispute over sorcery, resulting in the death of his wife.