The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) director of prosecution, Lt. Col. Raphael Mugisha has sought more in the hearing of the murder case of a Special Forces Commando Unit commander.

Four men are currently battling charges of killing the former commander of the Special Forces Commando Unit, Maj Noel Mwesigye.

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

However, when the case turned up for hearing before the General Court Martial (GCM) chaired by Brig. Gen Freeman Mugabe on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, the prosecution sought an adjournment, saying their witness was on a special army course.

“My lord chairman, our witness is currently on an official routine military course at Kimaka. We, therefore, seek time as we hope to prepare another witness in the next adjournment, and by any case, the intended witness will also be available,” Mugisha submitted.

In response, the defence, led by Capt. Simon Nsubuga Busagwa and Private Pricilla Kakande, requested the court to compel the state to arraign a witness without fail. 

“My lord chairman, we shall not object to their assertion for now, but let this be the last adjournment,” Busagwa said, prompting Mugabe to adjourn the case to September 19, 2023, for further hearing.

According to the prosecution, on January 17, 2021, gunmen ambushed Mwesigye (deceased), while at his farm in Luwero district, grabbed his gun, stole all his belongings and killed him on the spot, prompting the arrest of the four.

So far, four witnesses have testified against the accused and among them is Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) John Leonard Mukwaya, who testified that Olega and Yiga confessed before him about when and how they killed Mwesigye.

“Olega and Yiga accepted to have participated in the murder of Major Mwesigye, the two even took us to Masinga village, Kikyusa sub-county in Luwero district where they dumped the body,” Mukyawa told court last month.

Charges 

The prosecution alleges that on or around January 17, 2021, Olega, Yiga, Kisuule, Mwanje and others still at large, while at Masinga village, Kikyusa, in Luwero with malice aforethought, unlawfully caused the death of 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.

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