KAMPALA – Ms Valerian Tuhimbise a Grade One Magistrate at KCCA court has on Thursday, September 12, declined to record a confession statement from a key suspect implicated in the murder of social worker Maria Nagirinya and her driver Ronald Kitayimbwa.
Johnson Lubega, had a deep cut on his hand and was bound in handcuffs. He was brought to KCCA court on Thursday by CMI operatives and police with the hope that he will voluntarily record a confession statement to admit to the kidnap and murder of the two deceased.
However, Ms Tuhimbise has refused to take the statement saying the suspect was brought to him late, and that the accused was in bad health condition yet recording such a statement needs ample time and preparation with someone who is very fine.
Lubega had visible wounds on his hand, a sign that the people who arrested him tortured him into confessing.
“This is not a good sign for a suspect to record a confession statement while in such a bad condition especially when this has to be adduced as evidence to pin him or her during trial,” Ms Tuhimbise noted.
Consequently, Lubega has been taken back into custody as investigations continue or until such a time that he will be free to record a confession.
Recording a confession statement is a step in police investigations where a suspect who admits to committing a capital offense at police voluntarily confesses to the facts of the crime before a judicial officer.
The judicial officer-in-charge usually cautions the confessing suspect that such a statement will be adduced as evidence against him/her during trial.
Nagirinya and Kitayimbwa’s bodies were recovered in Mukono after a few days the pair was reportedly kidnapped from Lungujja.
Police cracked down on Nagirinya and Kitayimbwa’s suspected murderers using a mobile money line after they attempted to withdraw money from Nagirinya’s mobile phone at Nateete; a Kampala Suburb.
Three suspects reportedly include a bodaboda rider believed to have transported the kidnappers to Nagirinya’s home in Lungujja. Police have not disclosed the identities of the suspects.
Besides, over a dozen Police officers were also arrested following complaints from Nagirinya’s relatives that when they reported the kidnap to the Police, they received no attention, which frustrated any efforts to save Nagirinya.
A total of six suspects are in custody over the murder.
Also police has since released images of suspects caught on CCTV cameras believed to have been behind the said kidnap and murder which occured in August.
