Godi killed wife after she learnt of his links with Kony rebels - witness
Nov 12, 2010
JUSTICE Lawrence Gidudu has started hearing Arua Municipality MP Hussein Godi’s murder case at Mukono High Court. Godi is accused of murdering his wife, Rehema Ceasar, on December 4, 2008 at Lukojjo in Nama sub-county, Mukono district.
By Paddy Nsobya
JUSTICE Lawrence Gidudu has started hearing Arua Municipality MP Hussein Godi’s murder case at Mukono High Court. Godi is accused of murdering his wife, Rehema Ceasar, on December 4, 2008 at Lukojjo in Nama sub-county, Mukono district.
Godi was in Court on Monday, with his lawyers McDosman Kabega and Duncan Ondimu together with Samali Kayinza and Judith Tumusiime.
Prosecution was led by Senior Principle State Attorney Joan Kagezi who produced the deceased’s sister, Rashida Bizu, to testify against the accused.
Justice Lawrence Gidudu: You are charged with the offence of murder contrary to section 188 and 189 of the penal code act. On December 4, 2008 at Lukojjo village in Nama sub-county in Mukono district you murdered Rehema Ceaser. Is it true?
Godi: No my Lord.
Kagezi: My Lord I have witnesses to testify against the accused person and I am ready to begin with one Rashida Bizu, the sister to the deceased. Bizu, do you know the accused person in dock, and how did you come to know him?
Bizu: He is Godi. He married my late sister and that is how I came to know him.
Kagezi: Where was your sister living before she died?
Bizu: At times she lived with us on Martin Road in Kampala and sometimes at Nana Hostel with her friends.
Kagezi: She was a married woman. Why did she stay with you or at Nana Hostel but not with her husband?
Bizu: She got a misunderstanding with Mr. Godi and she decided to leave his home.
Kagezi: What misunderstandings? And how did you know about their misunderstandings?
Bizu: The deceased told me. She told me Godi used to beat her up and lock her in the house, so she decided to leave him.
Kagezi: What did you do when you learnt of her marital problems?
Bizura: I told her to talk to elders.
Kagezi: After Godi and Rehema got married where did they live?
Bizu: They lived at Bwebajja on Entebbe Road.
Kagezi: And where was their matrimonial home?
Bizu: It was in Arua.
Kagezi: When Rehema left Godi’s home, did he ever come to your home?
Bizu: He used to come to talk to Rehema but would not enter the house.
Kagezi: Did you talk to him?
Bizura: No, because by then he had become unfriendly.
Kagezi: Do you know why he would come to talk to Rehema?
Bizu: I did not know.
Kagezi: Was he looking for something?
Bizu: Yes. A laptop, Rehema’s passport and a Television set. My sister had carried his laptop along when she was leaving his home and it contained his information.
Kagezi: How did you know?
Bizu: Rehema told me. In October Godi came with two Police women to arrest us if we did not produce his laptop.
Kagezi: Did you see the laptop?
Bizu: Yes, I did.
Kagezi: Did your sister give him back his laptop?
Bizu: Yes she did.
Kagezi: Did he continue coming back after getting his laptop?
Bizu: No but he did send threatening messages that if my sister reveals his secrets, he would kill her.
Judge: Why do you believe he killed your sister?
Bizu: He was scared of the information on the laptop.
Judge: Did your sister reveal to you the information on the laptop, which revelations makes you believe, they resulted into her death?
Bizu: Yes. On the laptop was information concerning his dealings with unfriendly people to the Government of Uganda.
Kagezi: Who were those?
Bizu: They were the rebels of Kony.
Judge: Did you read the content yourself?
Bizu: No. My sister revealed to me.
At this point Godi’s lawyer McDosman Kabega, intervened:
Kabega: You said he sent threatening messages. Did you read them?
Bizu: Yes.
Kabega: That was a very serious matter. Did your sister report it to Police?
Bizu: Yes.
Kabega: Was Godi called to police?
Bizu: I cannot recall.
Kabega: I tell you that those threatening messages have never existed and that is why the accused person was not called to Police. Did your sister open the laptop in your presence?
Bizu: No.
Kabega: You had no password to it and so did your sister. Now, you said the laptop contained information unfriendly to the Government of Uganda. Did you advise your sister to report the matters to police that Godi associated with rebels?
Bizu: I did not.
Kabega: I tell you that what you have told court is not your own knowledge but rather information fed to you by your late sister.
Hearing continues on November 16.
JUSTICE Lawrence Gidudu has started hearing Arua Municipality MP Hussein Godi’s murder case at Mukono High Court. Godi is accused of murdering his wife, Rehema Ceasar, on December 4, 2008 at Lukojjo in Nama sub-county, Mukono district.
Godi was in Court on Monday, with his lawyers McDosman Kabega and Duncan Ondimu together with Samali Kayinza and Judith Tumusiime.
Prosecution was led by Senior Principle State Attorney Joan Kagezi who produced the deceased’s sister, Rashida Bizu, to testify against the accused.
Justice Lawrence Gidudu: You are charged with the offence of murder contrary to section 188 and 189 of the penal code act. On December 4, 2008 at Lukojjo village in Nama sub-county in Mukono district you murdered Rehema Ceaser. Is it true?
Godi: No my Lord.
Kagezi: My Lord I have witnesses to testify against the accused person and I am ready to begin with one Rashida Bizu, the sister to the deceased. Bizu, do you know the accused person in dock, and how did you come to know him?
Bizu: He is Godi. He married my late sister and that is how I came to know him.
Kagezi: Where was your sister living before she died?
Bizu: At times she lived with us on Martin Road in Kampala and sometimes at Nana Hostel with her friends.
Kagezi: She was a married woman. Why did she stay with you or at Nana Hostel but not with her husband?
Bizu: She got a misunderstanding with Mr. Godi and she decided to leave his home.
Kagezi: What misunderstandings? And how did you know about their misunderstandings?
Bizu: The deceased told me. She told me Godi used to beat her up and lock her in the house, so she decided to leave him.
Kagezi: What did you do when you learnt of her marital problems?
Bizura: I told her to talk to elders.
Kagezi: After Godi and Rehema got married where did they live?
Bizu: They lived at Bwebajja on Entebbe Road.
Kagezi: And where was their matrimonial home?
Bizu: It was in Arua.
Kagezi: When Rehema left Godi’s home, did he ever come to your home?
Bizu: He used to come to talk to Rehema but would not enter the house.
Kagezi: Did you talk to him?
Bizura: No, because by then he had become unfriendly.
Kagezi: Do you know why he would come to talk to Rehema?
Bizu: I did not know.
Kagezi: Was he looking for something?
Bizu: Yes. A laptop, Rehema’s passport and a Television set. My sister had carried his laptop along when she was leaving his home and it contained his information.
Kagezi: How did you know?
Bizu: Rehema told me. In October Godi came with two Police women to arrest us if we did not produce his laptop.
Kagezi: Did you see the laptop?
Bizu: Yes, I did.
Kagezi: Did your sister give him back his laptop?
Bizu: Yes she did.
Kagezi: Did he continue coming back after getting his laptop?
Bizu: No but he did send threatening messages that if my sister reveals his secrets, he would kill her.
Judge: Why do you believe he killed your sister?
Bizu: He was scared of the information on the laptop.
Judge: Did your sister reveal to you the information on the laptop, which revelations makes you believe, they resulted into her death?
Bizu: Yes. On the laptop was information concerning his dealings with unfriendly people to the Government of Uganda.
Kagezi: Who were those?
Bizu: They were the rebels of Kony.
Judge: Did you read the content yourself?
Bizu: No. My sister revealed to me.
At this point Godi’s lawyer McDosman Kabega, intervened:
Kabega: You said he sent threatening messages. Did you read them?
Bizu: Yes.
Kabega: That was a very serious matter. Did your sister report it to Police?
Bizu: Yes.
Kabega: Was Godi called to police?
Bizu: I cannot recall.
Kabega: I tell you that those threatening messages have never existed and that is why the accused person was not called to Police. Did your sister open the laptop in your presence?
Bizu: No.
Kabega: You had no password to it and so did your sister. Now, you said the laptop contained information unfriendly to the Government of Uganda. Did you advise your sister to report the matters to police that Godi associated with rebels?
Bizu: I did not.
Kabega: I tell you that what you have told court is not your own knowledge but rather information fed to you by your late sister.
Hearing continues on November 16.