KAMPALA – Three Court assessors have advised the court to acquit the eight suspects accused of the murder of a businesswoman Betty Donah Katusabe in 2015.
The assessors who include Rehema Babirye, Joseph Wasibi and Betty Bogere in their joint lay man’s opinion advised the court to acquit the group of all the three counts on ground that prosecution failed to prove each suspects role in the case.
The owner of Pine Car Bond, Mr. Muhammed Ssebuwufu is facing charges of aggravated robbery, kidnap and murder an offence they allegedly committed in 2015.
Other suspects are; Godfrey Kayiza, Philip Mirambe, Stephen Lwanga, Yoweri Kitayimba, Damaseni Ssentongo, Paul Tasingika, and Shaban Otuddu.
The assessors contended that the prosecution failed to prove whether there was any theft accompanied with violence or kidnap since one of the prosecution witnesses noted that the deceased requested that instead of being taken to Police, she should be taken to Pine car bond.
“This brings doubt if this was kidnap or lawful arrest,” the assessors noted in their joint opinion.
However, Justice Flavia Anglin Senoga has said that she will suppress the assessors’ opinion and compare it with the evidence on record, to write an appropriate judgment on May 30.
The prosecution contends that the accused persons and others still at large on October 21, 2015 at Pine Car Bond on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala murdered Katusabe and robbed her of her mobile phone valued at Shs300, 000 and immediately or after the said robbery, used a panga and sticks to kill her.
