Arinaitwe faces the noose
AS he pursued his course in law at Makerere University, Richard Arinaitwe got involved into dubious activities. He had been involved in criminal activities but had managed to evade the law. But Arinaitwe’s luck ran out in October 1998 when he was arrested, charged and sentenced to death for murder
OVER time, the court has decided on a number of high-profile cases. In a series, Saturday Vision looks back at some of the attention-grabbing cases that visited the court room.
By Edward Anyoli
AS he pursued his course in law at Makerere University, Richard Arinaitwe got involved into dubious activities. He had been involved in criminal activities but had managed to evade the law. But Arinaitwe’s luck ran out in October 1998 when he was arrested, charged and sentenced to death for murder.
CASE
Arinaitwe allegedly murdered an American woman, Cecilia Marie Goetz on July 28, 1998, at Hotel Equatoria in Kampala. He was arrested on October 30, 1998 by the Police on information given by Musa Mayanja, whose car Arinaitwe had used.
prosecution
Paddy Semanda and John Oluka testified as principal witnesses against Arinaitwe.
Semanda, who was then employed as a receptionist at Hotel Equatorial, testified that Marie Goetz had booked room number 321 and had been staying at the Hotel for some time.
Semanda said on July 28, 1998, at about 7:00pm, Goetz returned to the hotel and headed straight to her room. When he went to deliver fax messages to her at about 9:30pm, he found a man standing in the room with the door half open.
He said he demanded to see Goetz but the man refused to let him in. He said they negotiated for over 20 minutes.
Semanda told the trial judge, Vincent Kagaba, that the man whom he later came to know as Arinaitwe, took the fax and told him: “It is okay, you can go.â€
Minutes later, he saw Arinaitwe passing by the reception holding something in his hands, which he could not identify.
The witness said shortly after Arinaitwe went out, he went with John Oluka to check on Goetz. They found her dead.
Detective Israel Mubiru testified that he took finger and palm impressions from a sheath of a knife that was found in the room, analysed the finger impressions and found that they were Arinaitwe’s. The knife, whose sheath was found in the room, was later got in Arinaitwe’s vehicle.
Edward Ochom said after interrogating Arinaitwe, he formed the opinion that he was involved in the murder of Goetz. Ochom said he ordered the room where she was staying to be cordoned off.
Musa Mayanja, testified that Arinaitwe hired his vehicle in July, 1998. Mayanja took the Police to Arinaitwe’s residence in Kololo.
DEFENCE
At the start of the trial, Arinaitwe was represented by Protazio Aigihugu, a city advocate, who later withdrew from the case. Aigihugu told court that Arinaitwe had withdrawn instructions from him. Arinaitwe started conducting his own defence.
Throughout the trial, Arinaitwe maintained his innocence, disputed the finger impression and the circumstances of his arrest, when he was found with a knife allegedly used in the murder.
Arinaitwe argued that he was coerced and that the Police fabricated evidence to implicate him.
JUdGEMENT
Justice Vincent Rwamisazi Kagaba said the two security officers’ testimonies could not be disputed. He added that their evidence was supported by other witnesses.
After the murder, he noted, Arinaitwe’s strange behaviour of hiding in the ceiling was meant to avoid arrest.
“After considering all the evidence, I find the prosecution witnesses credible and their testimony believable and reliable.â€
I find the accused has been implicated at the scene of crime by his finger impressions, which were on the sheath. I also find the accused directly and circumstantially implicated in the murder of the deceased,†Kagaba said.
He added that the involvement and participation of the Arinaitwe in the killing of Goetz was strengthened and supported by circumstantial testimony.
“All this evidence has pointed irresistibly to the conclusion that the accused (Arinaitwe) killed the deceased; the killing was unlawful with malice aforethought. I reject the defence of the accused that he was not at the scene.â€
“My findings is based on evidence of Paddy Semanda, John Oluka, Edward Ochom and Muhwezi, which is conclusive on the fact the sheath was not interfered with and fingerprints lifted from it are those of Arinaitwe.
The evidence negates his alibi, places the accused at the scene, and strongly implicates him in the murder of the deceased. He is therefore guilty of the offence.â€
Who is Richard Arinatiwe?
HE never broke any single rule at school. He was quiet, humble and obedient but the terrible things he did later shocked friends and relatives. Arinaitwe came to limelight for his offences.
At Buganda Road Court in 1998, he tried to strangle Magistrate Jane Alividza. He grabbed her by the neck and ripped her blouse off when he appeared before her.
Arinaitwe trained in martial arts and kick-boxing. An hour after he tried strangling Alividza, he was found teaching fellow inmates how to strangle people.
Friends at Nakasero Primary School, where he studied, said he once escaped from school and forcefully stayed at a hotel in Kampala.
When the hotel management took him to school for identification, he denied that he was a pupil there. He was at St. Charles Lwanga, Kasasa in Masaka. When he was expelled from the school, he went to St. Mary’s College, Kisubi, where he studied History, Economics and Literature.
His classmates said he exhibited leadership qualities. For instance, while at Kisubi, he was a leader in his house, Kakooza. He used to play rugby and was highly respected because of his physique. Friends say his passtime was watching violent and war movies.
He joined Makerere University to study law but it is said he was a habitual late comer who hardly talked to his classmates.
While at Makerere, some sources say, he used to hire a car everyday to drive himself around.
Arinaitwe’s friends at the university knew him as a kind, generous and compassionate person. He was unable to attain his degree because he was charged and sentenced to death. He is currently on death row in Luzira prison.
By Edward Anyoli
AS he pursued his course in law at Makerere University, Richard Arinaitwe got involved into dubious activities. He had been involved in criminal activities but had managed to evade the law. But Arinaitwe’s luck ran out in October 1998 when he was arrested, charged and sentenced to death for murder.
CASE
Arinaitwe allegedly murdered an American woman, Cecilia Marie Goetz on July 28, 1998, at Hotel Equatoria in Kampala. He was arrested on October 30, 1998 by the Police on information given by Musa Mayanja, whose car Arinaitwe had used.
prosecution
Paddy Semanda and John Oluka testified as principal witnesses against Arinaitwe.
Semanda, who was then employed as a receptionist at Hotel Equatorial, testified that Marie Goetz had booked room number 321 and had been staying at the Hotel for some time.
Semanda said on July 28, 1998, at about 7:00pm, Goetz returned to the hotel and headed straight to her room. When he went to deliver fax messages to her at about 9:30pm, he found a man standing in the room with the door half open.
He said he demanded to see Goetz but the man refused to let him in. He said they negotiated for over 20 minutes.
Semanda told the trial judge, Vincent Kagaba, that the man whom he later came to know as Arinaitwe, took the fax and told him: “It is okay, you can go.â€
Minutes later, he saw Arinaitwe passing by the reception holding something in his hands, which he could not identify.
The witness said shortly after Arinaitwe went out, he went with John Oluka to check on Goetz. They found her dead.
Detective Israel Mubiru testified that he took finger and palm impressions from a sheath of a knife that was found in the room, analysed the finger impressions and found that they were Arinaitwe’s. The knife, whose sheath was found in the room, was later got in Arinaitwe’s vehicle.
Edward Ochom said after interrogating Arinaitwe, he formed the opinion that he was involved in the murder of Goetz. Ochom said he ordered the room where she was staying to be cordoned off.
Musa Mayanja, testified that Arinaitwe hired his vehicle in July, 1998. Mayanja took the Police to Arinaitwe’s residence in Kololo.
DEFENCE
At the start of the trial, Arinaitwe was represented by Protazio Aigihugu, a city advocate, who later withdrew from the case. Aigihugu told court that Arinaitwe had withdrawn instructions from him. Arinaitwe started conducting his own defence.
Throughout the trial, Arinaitwe maintained his innocence, disputed the finger impression and the circumstances of his arrest, when he was found with a knife allegedly used in the murder.
Arinaitwe argued that he was coerced and that the Police fabricated evidence to implicate him.
JUdGEMENT
Justice Vincent Rwamisazi Kagaba said the two security officers’ testimonies could not be disputed. He added that their evidence was supported by other witnesses.
After the murder, he noted, Arinaitwe’s strange behaviour of hiding in the ceiling was meant to avoid arrest.
“After considering all the evidence, I find the prosecution witnesses credible and their testimony believable and reliable.â€
I find the accused has been implicated at the scene of crime by his finger impressions, which were on the sheath. I also find the accused directly and circumstantially implicated in the murder of the deceased,†Kagaba said.
He added that the involvement and participation of the Arinaitwe in the killing of Goetz was strengthened and supported by circumstantial testimony.
“All this evidence has pointed irresistibly to the conclusion that the accused (Arinaitwe) killed the deceased; the killing was unlawful with malice aforethought. I reject the defence of the accused that he was not at the scene.â€
“My findings is based on evidence of Paddy Semanda, John Oluka, Edward Ochom and Muhwezi, which is conclusive on the fact the sheath was not interfered with and fingerprints lifted from it are those of Arinaitwe.
The evidence negates his alibi, places the accused at the scene, and strongly implicates him in the murder of the deceased. He is therefore guilty of the offence.â€
Who is Richard Arinatiwe?
HE never broke any single rule at school. He was quiet, humble and obedient but the terrible things he did later shocked friends and relatives. Arinaitwe came to limelight for his offences.
At Buganda Road Court in 1998, he tried to strangle Magistrate Jane Alividza. He grabbed her by the neck and ripped her blouse off when he appeared before her.
Arinaitwe trained in martial arts and kick-boxing. An hour after he tried strangling Alividza, he was found teaching fellow inmates how to strangle people.
Friends at Nakasero Primary School, where he studied, said he once escaped from school and forcefully stayed at a hotel in Kampala.
When the hotel management took him to school for identification, he denied that he was a pupil there. He was at St. Charles Lwanga, Kasasa in Masaka. When he was expelled from the school, he went to St. Mary’s College, Kisubi, where he studied History, Economics and Literature.
His classmates said he exhibited leadership qualities. For instance, while at Kisubi, he was a leader in his house, Kakooza. He used to play rugby and was highly respected because of his physique. Friends say his passtime was watching violent and war movies.
He joined Makerere University to study law but it is said he was a habitual late comer who hardly talked to his classmates.
While at Makerere, some sources say, he used to hire a car everyday to drive himself around.
Arinaitwe’s friends at the university knew him as a kind, generous and compassionate person. He was unable to attain his degree because he was charged and sentenced to death. He is currently on death row in Luzira prison.