Magara murder case adjourned to November 15

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court has adjourned to November 15 the case in which 10 people including, a South Africa-Ugandan based businessman, Patrick Kashaija alias Pato are accused of complicity in the murder of Susan Magara.

On Friday, Grade one Magistrate, Robert Mukanza was compelled to further adjourn the case after state prosecutor Patricia Cingatho informed court that inquiries are still underway despite court records indicating that the accused allegedly confessed to the charge in their extra-judicial statements.

"Since inquiries are still underway, I am adjourning this matter until November 15. The accused are also remanded until then," Mukanza ruled.

Others accused are Hajara Nakandi, Mahad Kasalita, the Imam of Usafi mosque in Kisenyi, Yusuf Lubega, Hussein Wasswa, Muzamiru Ssali, Abubaker Kyewolwa, Hassan Kato Miiro, Ismail Bukenya and Musa Buvumbo.

The Magistrate has also extended warrant of arrest against Pato who is still at large.

Susan, 28, a daughter of city businessman John Magara was kidnapped on February 7, 2018 on Kabaka Anjagala Road in Mengo Kampala as she drove back home in Lungujja, Rubaga Division.

She was held hostage for over 20 days before her body was discovered on February 27, 2018.

Court documents indicate that she was murdered on February 27, 2018 and her body was later dumped along the Southern Bypass at Kigo in Wakiso district.

Susan's killers are said to have contacted her family and demanded $1m dollars (about sh3.7b) before they could release her.

During her requiem mass, the family revealed that her killers had chopped off her fingers and sent them together with a recording of the incident to the family.

At the time of her murder, Magara's family is said to have secretly finished paying the ransom money believed to be over sh700m to the killers.