Three get 85 years for armed robbery, murder

By Farooq Kasule & Betty Amamukirori

Three men have been sentenced to 85 years' imprisonment for armed robbery and murder.

Kampala High Court Justice Elizabeth Alividza on Monday handed down the combined sentence upon their own plea of guilty.

The three were accused of aggravated robbery and murder of a street vendor, Agnes Bireru,

Francis Mugisha was sentenced to 32 years; a boda-boda cyclist, John Nsubuga, to 25 years and Raymond Musime to 28 years depending on the role each played while committing the crime.

The trio and a one Paddy Sserunjogi alias Shobbi were in 2012 charged with the murder of Bireru.

Sserunjogi was later acquitted of the three counts brought against him after prosecution failed to produce incriminating evidence.

Court heard that on April 23, 2012 at around 8.00pm, there was a robbery occasioned by a group of men donning army fatigue outside Spot Cash forex bureau at Arua Park in Kampala.

On that day, two customers after transacting in the forex bureau, were waiting for a night bus to Amuria when they were attacked by a group of gunmen.

Principal State Attorney Thomas Jatiko who handled the case told court that the robbers first disarmed the bureau’s security guards before attacking its unsuspecting customers.

The two victims, Martin Ojja and Emmanuel Evuma were each carrying a bag containing sh120.2m and 347.5m respectively.

Prosecution said that during the course of the robbery, a shootout ensued leaving two people injured.

The two were Maddy Musema, a staff at the forex bureau who sustained a shoulder injury and Bireru who later died at Mulago hospital.

Immediately after the robbery, the gunmen fled in a waiting double cabin Pickup and a Toyota Primeo.

Sserunjogi and the convicts were later arrested after a tip off from Bwaise about a gang robbery.

The Police at first arrested Mugisha who led them to the others.

Meanwhile, while sentencing, the judge, under the anti-laundering act, ordered for the confiscation of their properties in an effort to recover part of the sh467.7m they robbed from the two bureau customers.