A key suspect in the Masaka machetes murder cases missing

By Racheal Najjuma

24^th March 2022

A key suspect in the murders that occurred in the Masaka sub-region has gone missing.

About 15 suspects including two MPs Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya for Makindye West and Kawempe North respectively were arrested in relation to the killing of 26 people in the districts of Lwengo and Masaka.

The other suspects are; Benard Musumba, Faisal Kabuye, Paul Ssekajigo, Frank Tamale, Badru Kirega, Mike Sserwadda among others who are waiting to be committed to High Court to face trial.

On Wednesday, the Masaka Resident State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka told the court that they are struggling to compile the evidence to support the trial.

Birivumbuka told the Masaka Grade One Magistrate Christine Nantege that they have failed to locate Tony Ssenyonga from Kitalya Prison, where he was remanded.

Ssenyonga is one of the suspects who confessed to the killings and offered to reveal all his accomplices.  According to Birivumbuka, the State had preferred to make amendments in charge sheets of other suspects, and present Ssenyonga as a key witness but they are not in a position to locate his whereabouts.

Bernard Musumba one of the suspects on remand in Kitalya Prison, has pleaded with the court to release them on mandatory bail, arguing that they exhausted the six-month period within which investigations can be done.

Nantege gave the state up to April 6 to produce Ssenyonga or else grant the suspects mandatory bail.

However, Frank Baine the Spokesperson of the Uganda Prison Serves says they were not aware of the alleged missing of the suspect.