Court jails ADF robber for 10 years
Jun 15, 2009
THE Criminal Court has sentenced a former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) commander, Tushabe Munyangondo, alias Benz, to 10 years imprisonment. He will serve his sentence at Katojo Prison.
By Hope Mafaranga
THE Criminal Court has sentenced a former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) commander, Tushabe Munyangondo, alias Benz, to 10 years imprisonment.
He will serve his sentence at Katojo Prison.
Tushabe, his escort, Henry Samanya and another suspect Isaac Buza were accused of aggravated robbery.
The court, sitting at Kasiina in Kyenjojo district, heard that on June 26 2002, the trio robbed David Kiyaga, Zedekiah Kakoko and William Sande, all employees of Crown Bottleling Company, of sh5.1m at Kijwiga valley on Kyenjojo-Kagadi road.
Kigaya, said while heading to Kagadi, they were attacked by three armed men who travelled in a saloon car.
All the victims identified Tushabe and recognised the vehicle the robbers had used.
In his ruling, Justice Owinyi Dollo, who presided over court, said: “After taking the evidence into consideration, I concluded that it was a simple robbery.
“The State failed to prove beyond doubt that a deadly weapon was used,†Owinyi stated last week.
Tushabe, who surrendered under the Amnesty Commission in 2002, was in jail for treason until 2008 when he was granted bail and recruited as a UPDF captain.
“I also order the convict to pay Crown Bottling sh1.5m and an equivalent of two Nokia phones,†he added.
Justice Owinyi acquitted Samanya and Buza, saying the state had failed to provide enough evidence to convict them. He added that no witness had mentioned their names.
Tushabe’s lawyer, Edward Ddamulira Muguluma, told The New Vision that his client would appeal against the ruling.
THE Criminal Court has sentenced a former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) commander, Tushabe Munyangondo, alias Benz, to 10 years imprisonment.
He will serve his sentence at Katojo Prison.
Tushabe, his escort, Henry Samanya and another suspect Isaac Buza were accused of aggravated robbery.
The court, sitting at Kasiina in Kyenjojo district, heard that on June 26 2002, the trio robbed David Kiyaga, Zedekiah Kakoko and William Sande, all employees of Crown Bottleling Company, of sh5.1m at Kijwiga valley on Kyenjojo-Kagadi road.
Kigaya, said while heading to Kagadi, they were attacked by three armed men who travelled in a saloon car.
All the victims identified Tushabe and recognised the vehicle the robbers had used.
In his ruling, Justice Owinyi Dollo, who presided over court, said: “After taking the evidence into consideration, I concluded that it was a simple robbery.
“The State failed to prove beyond doubt that a deadly weapon was used,†Owinyi stated last week.
Tushabe, who surrendered under the Amnesty Commission in 2002, was in jail for treason until 2008 when he was granted bail and recruited as a UPDF captain.
“I also order the convict to pay Crown Bottling sh1.5m and an equivalent of two Nokia phones,†he added.
Justice Owinyi acquitted Samanya and Buza, saying the state had failed to provide enough evidence to convict them. He added that no witness had mentioned their names.
Tushabe’s lawyer, Edward Ddamulira Muguluma, told The New Vision that his client would appeal against the ruling.