Pine murder: Investigations still ongoing

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has again remanded two suspects in a case in which city car dealer Muhammad Ssebuwufu is charged with the killing of a businesswoman Betty Dona Katusabe.

Yoweri Kitayimbwa and Damaseni Ssentongo, Ssebuwufu's business associates at Pine Car Depot located on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala have now spent close to four months on remand although their co-accused were on December 29, 2015 committed to the High Court to face trial. 

This was after prosecution told court that investigations into the case were complete.

However, state attorney Emily Ninsiima told court presided over by Chief Magistrate Jameson Karemani that investigations in the case were still ongoing. 

They were charged in April.

Yesterday, the duo was among the suspects aboard a maroon Prisons bus and was briefly kept at the court detention cells waiting for it to convene.

Court again declined to allow them to take a plea since it has no jurisdiction to hear capital offences.

Other suspects include Godfrey Kayiza, Philip Mirambo, Stephen Lwanga, and Paul Tasingika that were on October 29, 2015 charged alongside Ssebuwufu.

The suspects are charged with murder and aggravated robbery which attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on conviction.

Prosecution contends that the accused and others still at large on October 21, 2015 at Pine Car Bond on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala, killed Katushabe.

Court documents indicate that Ssebuwufu sold a car to the deceased at sh19m but she paid part of the money and there remained a balance of sh9m, which she promised to pay at a later date but in vain.

Although, the deputy registrar in charge of the criminal division at High Court Eleanor Khainza recently told New Vision that the case is going to be fixed for hearing in the next criminal session due in August, it might stall because of the delayed investigations into the matter. 

The case has been adjourned to August 12 for further mention.