'Uncle Money' could spend the rest of his life in jail

A renowned Cranes spectator, Jackson Sewanyana alias ‘Uncle Money' could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted over manslaughter charges.

Sewanyana and his co-accused, Benson Senyonga is battling charges of manslaughter.

The offence contravenes sections 187 (1) and 190 of the Penal Code Act and calls for life imprisonment on conviction.

On appearing before the Buganda Road Court, Chief Magistrate, Miriam Ayo Akello on Wednesday, a senior Police officer, D/Sgt Ronald Okello pinned the duo for having beat Siraji Tumusiime Akim to death.

The prosecution alleges that Sewanyana, Senyonga, and others still at large, during the night of August 16, 2019, at Kasubi Zone IV in  Kampala district, unlawfully caused the death of Siraji Tumusiime Akim, an act contrary to sections 187 (1) and 190 of the Penal Code Act. 

Okallo testified that the accused tied the deceased's (Tumusiime) hands to the legs, beat and brutally kicked him to his unconsciousness hence later his death.

"Sewanyana, Senyonga and three others on run took the deceased near a sweet potato garden while caning him, accusing him to have stolen a phone.

They beat him to coma, then brought and dumped him to Namugoona Police Station reception, as he could not talk, all his clothes torn and bloody," Okallo told the court.

He added that all this happened after the accused ‘arrested' Tumusiime from Munaku trading Centre suspecting him to have stolen a phone.

 
"On arresting Tumusiime (now deceased), he thought they were taking him to police but instead walked to a sweet potato plantation where he was severely beaten with his hands tied to the legs. Then later dumped at Namugoona police station reception where he died at around 04:30 am in the morning," Okallo said.

That during the deceased's ‘arrest', he (Tumusiime) asked the accused to allow him to drop his sh240, 0000 and a national identity card he had in the pocket to his friend, David Birungi, a butcher at Munaku, which they did.

"Upon Tumusiime's death, I called the accused in the dock because they had registered a case against the deceased and on their return I arrested them," he said.

Upon cross-examination, the accused lawyer, Ronald Kizito tasked Okallo to clearly explain if only two people were involved in the alleged manslaughter.

However, the witness answered that there are other three suspects still on run and will be arraigned in court upon their arrest.

Prosecution led by the senior state attorney, Timothy Amrit, told the court that they had crossed their case having presented six witnesses.

This prompted the trial magistrate to adjourn the case to January 16, 2020, for the defense to put in their final submissions.

The law
Under the law, any person who by unlawful act or omission causes the death of another person to commit a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life.

The charge
The prosecution alleges that the Sewanyana, Senyonga, and others still at large, during the night of August 16, 2019, at Kasubi Zone IV in  Kampala district, unlawfully caused the death of Siraji Tumusiime Akim, an act contrary to sections 187 (1) and 190 of the Penal Code Act.