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Uncle Money sentenced to 4 years in prison over lynching of suspected thief
Accused. Jackson Ssewanyana alias Uncle Money. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Jackson Ssewanyana aka Uncle Money was convicted alongside one Benson Senyonga, a defence officer in the same zone, in connection to spearheading a mob that killed Siraje Hakim Tumusiime.
Court has sentenced the Vice Chairman of Kasubi Zone IV, a Kampala suburb, to four years in prison over taking part in the murder of a suspected phone thief who was lynched by a mob.
Jackson Ssewanyana aka Uncle Money was convicted alongside one Benson Senyonga, a defence officer in the same zone, in connection to spearheading a mob that killed Siraje Hakim Tumusiime.
The Chief Magistrate at Buganda Road Court, Ms Miriam Okello, in her verdict said that though there was a mix up in dates by the nine prosecution witnesses, they all placed the convicts at the scene of the crime.
Ms Okello explained that participation of the convicts in the murder of Tumusiime was proved in the narrative of the witnesses.
She said there was no question of mistaken identity since the conditions at the time of lynching the deceased favoured proper sight. The evidence was not concocted.
"The manner in which the deceased was killed was so barbaric. The convicts had a duty to uphold the law and care for the people they lead including the deceased. Therefore, court sentences them to four years in jail," Ms Okello said.
She held that the maximum sentence for manslaughter is life imprisonment however, the court has followed the sentencing guidelines and given those years. That the convicts are free to appeal if they are dissatisfied with the sentence.
The state prosecutor, Timothy Amerit in his submission to cause a tougher sentence for the convicts, asserted that they wasted a lot of court’s time and state resources through a protracted trial.
Mr Amerit said the deceased was a father to three children and a husband to three wives who were widowed by the actions of the convicts.
He said that the convicts were leaders in the area and knew the consequences of their actions, but other than upholding the law, they instead disobeyed it.
Mr Amerit as well submitted that the convicts have been unremorseful as they even lied during plea taking when they denied the charges.
He said that the deceased died a very painful death as he sustained severe abrasions and burns on the body.
Mr Amerit consequently, sought the court to give the convicts a deterrent sentence to deter the would-be offenders.
After the court session Ms Joan Natukunda one of the deceased's widows told Daily Monitor that she is not satisfied with the sentence of four years.
Ms Natukunda said the deceased's children are now suffering so much, as they don't have access to basic needs, which was not the case when their father was still alive.
The prosecution contended on August 16, 2019, Tumusiime, who was a phone dealer at Mutaasa Kafeero plaza in Kampala city received a phone call from unknown persons that made him leave his house in Lubya zone.
Hours later, he was seen moving with Uncle Money passing behind Royal Hotel in Munaku Zone IV where Uncle Money is said to have handed him (Tumusiime) over to stick-wielding youths led by the defence secretary Senyonga, who beat him up to death.
