Justice Isaac Muwata has scheduled September 14 for the assessors to provide their opinion on whether to acquit or convict the accused individuals in the Maria Nagirinya and Ronald Kitayimbwa murder cases.
This follows lengthy submissions from both the prosecution, which has pinned the suspects of murdering Nagirinya and Kitayimbwa while the suspects have requested acquittal on all charges.
Nagirinya and her driver Ronald Kitayimbwa, were kidnapped and killed on August 28th, 2019, in Lungujja. Their bodies were later found dumped in Mukono along Kayunga road.
Among the accused persons are Raymond Marcos Okori, Isaac Ssenabulya alias Kisunsu, Hamza Kateregga alias Arsenal, John Kisekka alias Manumanu, John Lubega aka Barros, Hasan Kisekka, and Ivan Mutagubya. During the final submissions, Comporiyamu Kasolo, a key suspect, argued that the prosecution failed to present crucial evidence, including an eyewitness who could have provided a statement regarding the kidnapping.
He also disputed the prosecution’s claims about his involvement in the crime. Kasolo questioned the evidence presented by a police expert who analyzed CCTV footage and suggested that the person driving Nagirinya’s vehicle could not be identified. He argued that the police had placed the photo in newspapers to seek public help, indicating that he was not the driver.
The defense team, led by Julius Sserwambala, argued that the victims were not taken away by force and were not kidnapped. They pointed out that key witnesses did not testify in court, and the cause of death for Nagirinya and Kitayimbwa was not conclusively established by pathologists.
Timothy Amerite, leading the prosecution, claimed that the accused individuals had information about Nagirinya’s location and residence, which they used to plan the crime. He argued that all the accused were involved in reconnaissance of her residence and that they had coordinated their actions. Amerite presented evidence regarding sim card usage, suggesting links between the accused persons. He urged the court to disregard the accused individuals’ claims and described them as “acclimatized liars” and “certified criminals.”
The court’s final decision will be based on a combination of these arguments and the opinions provided by the assessors.
URN.