The case in which four men accused of killing the former commander of the Special Forces Commando Unit, Maj Noel Mwesigye, has been adjourned to October 17, 2022, for hearing.

The accused are Mansur Olenga, 35, Rashid Yiga alias Mucholi, 35, Steven Kisuule, 28, and Rogers Mwanje, 24.

The General Court Martial (GCM) chairman, Maj. Gen Freeman Mugabe, adjourned the case after the prosecution stated that the handwriting expert meant to interpret Olenga’s handwriting was not in court. 

“My Lord chairman and honourable court members, this case was slated today for further hearing, but I seek an adjournment on grounds that the handwriting expert is out of the country for official duties,” Lt Gift Mubehamwe, who led the prosecution stated. 

Mwesigye was one of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) finest commandos and took part in UPDF’s decisive battles against Al Shabaab in Somalia.

He, however, met his death in January 2021 after gunmen ambushed him while at his farm in Luwero district, killing him instantly.

The state has since arraigned four suspects in court, charged, remanded and availed five witnesses so far. 

Among those who have pinned the suspects is Special Police Constable attached to Police’s Flying Squad Unit Eric Birimaso Nkata who told court he tracked serial numbers of phones recovered at the crime scene where Maj. Mwesigye was murdered.

Nkata, a specialist in phone tracking said, “After several days of tracking, one serial number was used by an MTN line number 0785022216 in the name of Mansur Olenga, who is among the suspects in the dock.”

“After netting Olega in Bombo, he led us to Mubanda Zone in Matuga where we arrested Kisule. In Kisule’s house, we recovered a gun under his bed (SMG rifle-48003239),” Nkata said, adding that the operation continued and Mwanje too, was arrested.

Charges 

Prosecution alleges that on or around January 17, 2021, Olega, Yiga, Kisuule, Mwanje and others still at large while at Masinga village, Kikyusa sub-county in Luwero district with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the death of Maj. Mwesigye using a submachine gun serial number, UG-UPDF-48003239, the said gun being ordinarily a monopoly of the defence forces. 

It is also purported that the accused and others still at large during the same day, time and place robbed Mwesigye of his Pistol Thurus NO. UG-UPDF TAO-48003239, a monopoly of the defence forces.

That the accused also allegedly robbed Barbra Katiti of sh490, 000 and at, immediately before or after the said robbery was in possession of a gun, a monopoly of the defence forces.