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City tycoon Kirumira named in Kasiwukira murder case
What you need to know:
Testimony. A suspect tells court that the businessman promised him fortune if he agreed to pin Kasiwukira’s widow over the murder.
KAMPALA.
City tycoon Godfrey Kirumira has been accused of influence peddling in the ongoing trial of the murder of his colleague, Eriya Bugembe Sebunya, alias Kasiwukira.
Mr Kirumira’s name came up in court yesterday when one of the suspects, Mr Ashraf Jaden, while giving his defence, said the businessman promised him Shs200m, a house and a good rank in the police force if he agreed to pin Ms Sarah Nabikolo over the murder of her husband, Kasiwukira.
“Upon my arrest, I was taken to CIID headquarters in Kibuli where some police officers; James Magada and Julius Ogwang, persuaded me to link Ms Sarah Nabikolo and Ms Sandra Nakungu, who was my girlfriend, to the murder of Kasiwukira,” Mr Jaden said.
“I was to do this in exchange for Shs200m, a house and to be given a good rank on job, all funded by the rich man Kirumira. I spent three weeks in police custody and these officers would always show up at night to record statements, noting down whatever they wanted. Then later, they would force me to sign on the documents,” he added.
Ms Nakungu and Ms Nabikolo, who are sisters, are suspects in the murder case now being heard by Justice Wilson Masalu Musene.
Mr Jaden further told court that his fellow officers at the CIID headquarters would torture him in a bid to force him to frame his co-accused and their children.
He said he was forced to secretly record a video implicating Ms Nabikolo in the murder.
ABOUT THE MURDER CASE
Particulars of the case state that Kasiwukira was run over by a car while he was jogging in the morning on October 17, 2014, on the road near his home in Muyenga, a Kampala suburb.
Police dismissed preliminary claims that Kasiwukira’s killing was accidental.
Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura ordered thorough investigations whose findings pointed to murder. The investigations implicated the widow and other family members and business partners.
The summary of evidence by the prosecution alleged that the businessman was murdered by his widow after the deceased had brought home evil spirits locally called mayembe that demanded ritual sacrifice which would involve killing either his wife or her children.
