KAMPALA– Hardly a day after their imprisonment for 40 years in jail for murdering a businesswoman Betty Donah Katusabe in 2015 over a Shs9 million debt which was balance on a car she had purchased, the 8 men have filed a notice to appeal against the same.
In their jointly filed notice by their lawyers of Alaka & Co. Advocates and Ochieng Associated Advocates, the group has asked court for certified copies of the record of proceedings and judgment on their case in order to appeal against both the sentence and conviction.
“Take notice that the appellants Ssebuwufu Mohammed, Godfrey Kayinza, Philip Mirambe, Steven Lwanga, Paul Tasingika, Yoweri Kitayimbwa, Damaseni Sentongo and Shaban Odutu being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the whole judgement, sentence and orders of Hon Lady Justice Flavia Anglin Ssenoga delivered at the High Court of Uganda Criminal Division on the 24th day of June 2019 intends to appeal to the court of Appeal against both the conviction, sentence and orders,” reads in part the notice of appeal.
On June 1, Justice Ssenoga sentenced the pine car bond proprietor and seven other for the murder of Katusabe. She also ordered them to compensate the bereaved family of the late Katusabe with Shs100m.
“The convicts conduct and impunity was most despicable, they should not have taken law in hands. This action was premeditated with each of the convicts playing a part in the action. The deceased was repeatedly assaulted on her head and her abduction was as a result of fraud,” Justice Ssenoga ruled before sentencing the group.
The judge also noted that the convicts had sufficient time to reflect on their actions but it was all in vain and such offences negatively impacted on the victim’s family and community which was wrong.
“Court hopes to send a message to public to refrain them from taking the law into their hands. The convicts are here by sentenced to 40yrs on Count one of murder, Aggravated robbery-20years, kidnap-30yrs which is to run concurrently and paying a compensation of Shs100million to the deceased’s family,” the judge ruled.
Meanwhile, court sentenced Steven Lwanga, a special hire driver to 7 years in jail on the offence of being an accessory after the commission of an offense.
Evidence from the 26 witnesses showed that the deceased after failing to pay the balance, Sebuufu hired a team of his security guards to pick her from her residence in Bwebajja along Entebbe road and directly drove to his office at pine car bond on Lumumba Avenue from where she was kicked and beaten there by causing grievous wounds on her body leading to her death in October 21, 2015.
