Two children killed, six charged with murder, trafficking in Sembabule
Mr Hassan Nalukoola, Mr Amoni Twinomujuni and other suspects being escorted by prison warders at Sembabule Magistrates Court. They were charged with murder and child trafficking on July 19,2024. PHOTO/ISSA ALIGA
What you need to know:
- Mr Wananda said the suspects are facing charges related to criminal offenses of murder and human trafficking under the Section 3(a) of Preventing Trafficking in Persons Act of 2009 and Section 2 of 126 (1) of Penal Code Act which are only tried in High Court. He then transferred their file to Masaka High Court for trial.
Six residents of Kasaana Village in Mateete Town Council, Sembabule District have been charged with seven counts connected to murder and child trafficking.
The suspects; Hassan Nalukoola ,50 years old and the defense secretary at Kasaana Village, Ahamed Musanje ,29, Zubairi Matovu ,37, Hasifah Nakuya ,40 the wife to Nalukoola, Amoni Twinomujuni,40 and Elly Tumwebaze ,16 , a student at Mateete Comprehensive Secondary School appeared before Sembabule Grade One Magistrate, Mr Richard Wananda on July 19.
Five charges were slapped against the six suspects including; murder, aggravated child trafficking of children, kidnap and detaining with intent to murder, conspiracy to murder, accessory after the fact to murder.
Police detectives carrying the two bodies of the murdered children after they were exhumed from a pit-latrine in Sembabule District on July 9, 2024. PHOTO/ISSA ALIGA
A charge of rash and neglect act was slapped against Twinomujuni only, the owner of the pit-latrine where the two bodies of the killed children were found while Ahamed Musanje separately faces the charge of written threats to murder.
Court heard that the suspects led by Nalukoola and others still at large kidnapped two children at Kasaana Village and killed them for suspected ritual sacrifice. Prosecution led by Ms Priscilla Nyakake told the court that one of the victims, Andrew Jjunju,6, a pupil at St. Herman Kasaana Primary School disappeared from school during break time on July 2 while Julius Asiimwe, 2, was kidnapped from his parents’ home at Kyambulala Village at around 7pm on July 10.
According to court records, the kidnappers asked for a ransom of Shs400,000 to release Asiimwe while for Jjunju, they needed Shs40 million.
Mr Wananda said the suspects are facing charges related to criminal offenses of murder and human trafficking under the Section 3(a) of Preventing Trafficking in Persons Act of 2009 and Section 2 of 126 (1) of Penal Code Act which are only tried in High Court. He then transferred their file to Masaka High Court for trial.
Before the bodies of the victims were recovered from the abandoned pit-latrine at Kasaana village on July 9, many suspected people including Isaac Mutebi, Mathew Muwonge, Peter Kasagga and Muhammed Ssebunya, all residents of Nakatooke Village, were arrested and detained at Sembabule Central Police Station. Three of the suspects were not brought to court.
Both Mr Steven Mwesigye, the father of Julius Asiimwe and Mr Fulgensio Ssemujju, the father of Andrew Jjunju want police to bring all suspects to court.
''Why have police failed to produce Mr Isaac Mutebi and others in court yet they confessed to have killed the children and they led police to the abandoned pit-latrine where the bodies were dumped,'' Mr Mwesigye said as tears rolled on his cheeks at court.
''We doubt whether we will get justice when other suspects have not been brought to court,'' Mr Ssemujju said.
But a source at Sembabule Central Police Station told The Monitor that the trio was separated from the other suspects because they are going to act as state witnesses.
