Ndiga clan murder: Five sent to High Court to stand trial
Five Ndiga clan head murder suspects in the dock at Mwanga II Court in Mengo in Kampala on October 24, 2024. PHOTO | Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- This was after the police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), concluded the investigations into the murder by shooting.
Five people accused of murdering the Ndiga clan leader Daniel Bbosa Kakeedo have been sent to the High Court to stand trial.
This was after the police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), concluded the investigations into the murder by shooting.
The five people are; key murder suspect Lujja Bbosa Tabula, Noah Lujja his nephew, and his biological siblings Harriet Nakiguli, Joseph Nakabale and Ezra Mayanja. However, Ms Lillian Omara from DPP’s office, presented a withdrawal letter dated October 23, 2024, stating that the state had lost interest in prosecuting Milly Naluwenda, the Buganda Kingdom’s traditional court clerk.
“Your worship I have instruction from the DPP to discontinue proceedings against Milly Naluwenda,” Ms Omara read the withdrawal letter without stating any reason.
The indictment states that on February 25, 2024, at 5:55pm Eng Bbosa was killed by two gunmen riding on a motorcycle with a disguised Number plate UEX 754E in Lungujja, Rubaga Division in Kampala as he approached his residence as he returned from Kitosi Mukono after presiding over a clan function with his wife Gladys Nabiseke and house help Peace Nambale.
“The assailants fled the scene using the same motorcycle but angry residents pursued them and lynched one identified as Enock Sserunkuma whereas a one Noah Lugya was rescued by police from an angry mob and later hospitalized at Mulago Hospital prior to his production in court,” reads in part the indictment.
DPP contends that at the primary scene of the crime, the body of Eng Kakeedo was recovered in a pool of blood from his motor vehicle UAH 637X Toyota Prado, his body had gunshot wounds, the motor vehicle window screens had bullet holes and the rare emergency door was partially shuttered.
“When he (Tabula) learned of clan function in Katosi on February 25, 2024, he planned to have him(Kakeedo) killed on that day on his way to or from the function,” the indictment reads in part.
It is further contended by the DPP that Kakeedo was installed as Ndiga Clan head whose duties were to Superintendent the leadership of the clan and report to the office of the Katikiro, however, Tabula opposed this leadership and claimed it's his ancestral entitlement and his birthright to be the head of the clan reasoning that he was robbed of this right by the great Grandfather of kakeedo .
The indictment stated that in 2016, Lujja challenged the installment of Kakeedo before the Kisekwa court and ruled on August 17, 2022, which was ruled in the favor of the deceased , but he (Tabula) appealed to the Kabaka but no ruling had been made by the time of the murder.
“A1 (Tabula) held a ceremony for his installation and attempted to remove Kakeedo from office. He stole a clan spear from Mayanja's shrine in Nakababga Mpigi District and went into hiding immediately after the murder of Kakeedo,” reads the indictment.
DPP contends that after the murder and hiding of Lujja , a nationwide search ensued, and he was arrested on August 19, 2024, in Namulonge, Busukuma months after police had put a Shs 20 million bounty on his head.
DPP further contends that Tabula confessed to masterminding Kakeedo's murder, admitting his failure to oust him through the Buganda Kingdom judicial system.
The DPP's evidence reveals Tabula recruited Enock Sserunkuuma and Lugya, providing the gun and ammunition from his maternal grandfather, Enock Ndayi, in Nansana. Notably, the gun, a 7.2mm assault rifle, belonged to his late retired UPDF Uncle Bakuru and had been buried underground.
Among the DPP’s evidence that she intends to rely on during the hearing include; CCTV footage showing that the assailants trailing Eng Kakeedo on a motorcycle, phone call data records that show constant communication between the accused shortly before the murder, a gun that was provided by Tabula and a video clip showing Tabula admitting publically to orchestrate the murder, postmortem report of the deceased.
Presiding Senior Principal Magistrate Grade One, Mr Adams Byarugaba committed the five accused to the High Court for trial.
“The file is hereby forwarded to the registrar criminal high division of the court for further management. You will not come back to court unless called,” Mr Byarugaba held.
The prosecution alleges that on the 25th day of February 2024 at Kikandwa-Lungujja village in Rubaga Division in Kampala District, the accused persons and others still at large with malice aforethought unlawfully caused the death of Eng Daniel Kakeedo Bbosa.
