A Special Police Constable attached to Police’s Flying Squad Unit has pinned four murder suspects regarding the killing of the former commander of the Special Forces Commando Unit, Maj. Noel Mwesigye.

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

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.

The suspects accused of murdering former commander of the Special Forces Commando Unit Major Noel Mwesigye in the dock on Monday. (Credit: Douglas Mubiru)

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

Pinning the suspects before the General Court Martial (GCM) chaired by Lt. Andrew Gutti, SPC Eric Birimaso Nkata, a specialist in phone tracking, told the court that he tracked serial numbers of phones recovered at the crime scene where Maj. Mwesigye was murdered. 

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

Nkata told the court that upon knowing who owned the line, he contacted MTN telecom company to get the number’s data and know where its calls originated, and he discovered that the user was in Bombo.

That upon reaching Bombo, the tracking led to one Shafik, a tailor who led them to the arrest of Yiga (in the dock) who also led to the arrest of Olega. However, the said Shafik is not among the accused.

“In the room where we arrested Olega, I also recovered a phone (Techno TI258) belonging Olega and a second robbed phone (Techno Spark 5) which also belonged to Olega,” the witness said.

That when the search continued, investigators recovered a pistol, that Olega allegedly confessed to have used to shoot dead Maj Mwesigye with his associates; Kisule, Mwanje and Yiga.

“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.

Tasked by defence lawyers on how Kisule got injured, Nkata explained, “In the process of arresting Kisule, he wanted to cut me with a panga, it is then that I injured his leg and we thereafter took him to Bombo Hospital for first aid.”

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 further alleged 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.

The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, March 15, 2022, for further hearing.