Pine Murder: Suspects end defence

Eight men including Pine Car Depot boss Muhammad Ssebuwufu, accused of murdering businesswoman Betty Donah Katusabe, have completed their defence.

On Monday, testimony from Paul Tasingika and Shaban Odutu alias Golola marked the end of the group's defence.

In his defence, Tasingika, 31, who described himself as a cab driver, told court that they started hunting for the late Katusabe over alleged theft of a Toyota Prado from Sam Kiwanuka on October 17, 2015.

"On October 17, 2015, former Central Police Station commander, Aaron Baguma, contacted me saying that he had a customer for me. I went to his office and he connected me to Sam Kiwanuka," he said.

However, Tasingika explained that his role was only to drive while Police Constable Specioza Nyanzi was in charge of the arrest.

"After arresting her, we proceeded to CPS in Kampala. However, on the way, the late Katusabe requested to be taken to Pine to settle the matter amicably with Kiwanuka," he said.

Kiwanuka was also a car dealer operating at Pine but he vanished following Katusabe's incident.

Tasingika also clarified that he used motor vehicle registration number UAM 291T to pick the late Katusabe from her residence in Bwebajja and not UAP155T as the prosecution alleges. 

He also told the trial Judge, Flavia Anglin Ssenoga, that Ssebuwufu had no hand in the case because the vehicle in question belonged to Kiwanuka.

Odutu who described himself as a luggage carrier said he is being framed.

"I was arrested from Namungoona playground as I watched a football match. I do not know anything about this case. I had never seen or communicated to any of my co-accused and I invite court to acquit me," Odutu said.

The next phase is for lawyers on both sides to make final submissions such that the trial judge sums up the case for the assessors to advise court on whether to acquit or convict the accused persons.

Others on trial are Philip Mirambe, Stephen Lwanga, Yoweri Kitayimbwa and Damaseni Ssentongo.

The case

Prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large on October 21, 2015, kidnapped Katusabe before beating her to death at Pine Car Depot on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala over a sh9m debt.

Katusabe was allegedly tortured to death over the sh9m she owed Ssebuwufu for a Toyota Premio registration number UAX 481H that she acquired on hire purchase after remitting sh8m out of the total amount of sh17m.

In his defence, Ssebuwufu told court that Katusabe was supposed to pay the balance on October 30, 2015, and that there was no reason for him to hunt for her.

The group is also accused of robbing the deceased of her cell phone worth sh300,000.