MBARARA – Two civilians accusing of murdering a police officer and taking his gun in Kabale District have been sentenced to 100 years in prison by the military court.
Mukwenda Mugisha, 19, a resident of Gatete village in Mukabaya parish, Kisoro District, and Paul Dusingizimana, 27, a resident of Kijuguta ward in Kabale Municipality, appeared before the Mbarara-based Second Division Court Martial on Thursday, 11 February 2021.
“…this court has also put into consideration provisions of article 23, 8 of the constitution to sentencing guidelines. This court, therefore, sentences the two convicts as follows;100 years imprisonment for murder, 70 years for aggravated robbery, 30 years for kidnap all to be served concurrently from the civil prisons and any aggrieved party has a right to appeal within 14 days,’’ Court Martial chairman Lt Col Emmanuel Mwesigwa ruled.
This was after listening to the submission by the prosecution led by Lt James Omondi which argued that Mugisha and Dusingizimana attacked and killed Gracious Byaryabakabu who was on duty guarding Kabale District Electoral Commission Offices at Makanga Hill, in Kabale Municipality and took off with his firearm that had 30 rounds of ammunition.
Prosecution also told court that on January 29, while at Rutenga cell in Kabale Municipality, the duo put Patrick Arinaitwe on gunpoint, kidnapped and robbed his Shs20,000 plus a phone that had Shs314000 on mobile money.
Court also heard that on January 24, the two robbed Ms Racheal Kyomugisha of her Techno pop 2 phone, Shs100,000 and a laptop worth Shs1.7 million using an AK 47-gun registration number UG Pol 56 58 24 456.
The accused pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated robbery, murder, and kidnap.
They, however, asked the court to give them a lenient sentence claiming that they were drunk by the time they committed the offences. But court did not entertain their pleas.
