Moses Ali Weeps On Nasur’s Release

By Yunusu Abbey and Charles Ariko LT. COL. Nasur Abdullah, 55, looked frail as he walked to freedom at 11.20am, ending 22 years in Luzira prison where he was on death row. Nasur was sentenced to death and lost all appeals after court found him guilty of murdering Alderman Walugembe, a former Masaka mayor in 1972. Dressed in a snow-white tunic with white matching shoes and a grey jacket, he waved at the crowd as he was set free. He wore a black and white dotted head scurf and had a limp. A crowd of prison warders and their families gathered to witness Nasur’s freedom. He was shortly after his release received by his 84-year-old mother, Mangur Aljab, Brig. Moses Ali, the Second Deputy Premier, relatives and friends. His family, who had been eagerly waiting outside the gate, looked on in disbelief when Mr. Henry Tugume, the officer in-charge Upper Prison and other senior prison officers, escorted Nasur to his freedom. He was surrounded by his relatives who wept and hugged him. They ignored his pleas not to weep. “Be firm like Muslims and just continue praying. It is Allah who plans for everything,” Nasur pleaded with them. Moments later, Moses Ali addressed the gathering outside the Prison where he hailed President Yoweri Museveni for having released Nasur. In the middle of his speech, Ali wept and failed to continue with his speech. Shortly after walking to freedom, Nasur categorically denied having murdered Walugembe. He said, “I never committed that offence. I never sent a soldier to kill him. I never saw the dead body. It was because of political hatred that they brought charges against me.” Nasur, who was articulate and spoke in fluent English, said, “I have spent the last 22 years here (Luzira Upper Prison) for an offence I never committed. I came here because of the revolution and I am leaving because of the revolution. President Museveni is a revolutionary and I am also a revolutionary son of this country.” A father to over 20 children, Nasur praised and thanked Museveni for having released him. “I am extremely happy and I appreciate what President Museveni has done for me,” he said. “I have been keeping a low profile. I accepted to go by the law and I appeal to all prisoners to follow my example, “Nasur said. Later, Moses Ali led him to his official car, a Toyota Prado, together with his mother. The inmates who had converged at Luzira’s remand wing, broke into deafening cheers and ululations as Nasur was driven to his home in Bombo. On arrival at Bombo, Nasur was driven to the main mosque at about 12.30pm where special prayers were held to welcome him. The crowd chanted Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar (God is Great). Business was paralysed. After the prayers, Nasur was escorted in a convoy to his home in Nakatonya, about a kilometre away on Kampala-Gulu highway. He was welcomed by his wives and relatives, and neighbours. mily members. Ends