Two journalists remanded over murder of tycoon

Jul 08, 2022

Besides the mentioned journalists, scores including family members were earlier arrested with some appearing in the same court and remanded over the same charges.

Ivan Mutyaba (left) and Denis Isabirye leaving the court room after remand to Kirinya prisons. (Photo by Jackie Nambogga)

Jackie Nambogga
Journalist @New Vision

The Jinja Grade 1 Magistrate, Yafesi Ochieng, has remanded two journalists to Kirinya Prisons over allegations of conspiracy to murder, among other three counts.

The duo, Ivan Mutyaba, and Denis Isabirye is facing charges of conspiracy to murder and concealing information, which allegedly led to the murder of sugarcane tycoon Shaban Malole on May 14, at Buweera village, Buwenge sub-county in Jinja district.

Malole was gunned down by unknown men who were riding on an unidentified motorcycle at about 8:00pm at his home.

Both Mutyaba and Isabirye of Busoga One Radio and Baba FM, located in Jinja city council, respectively, appeared before Ochieng on Wednesday after days in detention at Nalufenya Police Station.

Isabirye arrested on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mutyaba and Julius Muganza Kiyomba of City Radio also located in the heart of Jinja city, handed themselves over to the Kiira region Police headquarters on Monday to record their statements but were later detained.

Whereas Kiyomba was released on Police bond, Isabirye and Mutyaba were arraigned in court.

Four journalists linked to the case

The trio’s arrest and subsequent arraignment of Mutyaba and Isabirye in court brought the number of journalists so far linked to this gruesome murder to four following the initial arrest of Jackie Nabatanzi of Kiira FM but was three days later also released on bond.

Why arraignment?

The journalists are believed to have covered one of the controversial land worth 900 acres in Kamuli district, which has kept family members in conflict, following the demise of their father, Sulaiman Malole, in 2006.

James Mubi, the Kiira region Police spokesperson, said the motive of Shaban’s murder was not fully established, but he accounted for how this family was seriously fighting for their late father’s assets.

“Efforts to have these family conflicts solved have been ongoing and it is too early to relate the incident with the ongoing family wrangling, but we shall investigate up to the end,” Mubi said following Shaban’s shooting.

Scores arrested

Besides the mentioned journalists, scores including family members were earlier arrested with some appearing in the same court and remanded over the same charges.

They include Ismail Malole, Zainabu Malole, Mansur Musana, Muhamad Mayende, and Saida Malole.

Both Mutyaba and Isabirye were told that their charges were capital in nature and, therefore, Ochieng’s court had no jurisdiction of handling them.

Also, Ochieng added that they couldn’t take a plea, but merely read for them so that they got to know the charges slapped on them.

“The charge is capital in nature and this court has no jurisdiction, you can't take a plea, but to first read you the charges such that you get to know,” he said.

Whereas they had the right to bail, Ochieng advised them that this would be entertained by the High Court as he remanded them until July 28, when they would re-appear with others who were already in prison.

“In the meantime, the court will remand you and again appear along with those already on remand on the same file,” he said.

Both Isabirye and Mutyaba are family men.

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