Muslim cleric's murder suspect further remanded

By Farooq Kasule

The Buganda Road chief magistrate’s court has remanded a one Hawa Nakitto Kasujja, a principal signatory on the Tabliq Ummah house project account, in connection with the recent murder of Muslim clerics.

Kasujja was yesterday produced before the court, presided over by the Buganda Road Court grade one magistrate, Esther Nahirya, where four counts of terrorism were read to her.

She was not allowed to say anything in court because she faces capital offences only tried by the high court.

It is alleged that Kasujja and others still at large opened the Ummah house project account to receive and keep the money to finance activities of the Allied Democratic Forces rebel group.

Meanwhile, prosecution, led by state attorney Esther Nalungi, informed the court that investigations into the matter were ongoing. The magistrate then adjourned the matter to September 8 for mention.

A seemingly undisturbed Kasujja was clad in a black hijab. Her friends and relatives who were in court cried when she was ordered to go back to the cells without being allowed to say a word.

Prosecution further alleges that Kasujja, with others still at large, between December 2014 and June 2015, in different locations in the country with the intent to intimidate the public or sections of the Muslim faith and for a political, religious, social or economic aim involved themselves in attacks towards Shiite and the alleged former Tabliq Muslims which resulted in the murder of nine prominent sheikhs.

They include Sheikhs Hassan Kirya, Abdul Wafula, Abdulkadr Muwaya, Mustafa Bahiga, hajji Kiweewa, Abdu Karim Ssentamu, Yunus Abu Bakr Mudungu, Muhammad Maganda and Abdu Jawali Sentunga.

Kasujja was arrested alongside two others nearly two days after the shooting of the then Kibuli spokesperson, Sheikh Hassan Kirya at Bweyogerere, a Kampala suburb.

They were arrested shortly after they had left Luzira prison where they had gone to visit inmates who were detained and charged with the murder of Muslim clerics.

The chairperson of William Street mosque, Sheikh Sulaiman Ssemakula was among the many Tabliqs in the court.

Over thirty Muslims, including the Tabliq leader Muhammad Yunus Kamoga have been committed to the high court for trial following the completion of the police investigation and over ten have been released on police bond.

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