Kerry Howard Mwesigwa.
Kampala, 07th September 2023 – On Wednesday September 8th, the Supreme Court of Uganda upheld an 18-year jail term for Muhammad Ssebuwufu, the proprietor of Pine Car Bond, and three others in connection with the murder of Betty Dona Katusabe. The ruling follows a series of appeals and legal proceedings that spanned several years.
The panel of five Supreme Court justices, comprising Faith Mwondha, Prof Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza, Percy Night Tuhaise, Mike Chibita, and Stephen Musota, found no reason to alter the sentences previously handed down by the Court of Appeal.
The tragic incident took place on October 21, 2015, when Katusabe was kidnapped from her home in Bwebajja along Entebbe Road. She was then transported to Pine Car Bond along Lumumba Avenue in Kampala, where she endured horrifying torture using sharp objects. Katusabe’s ordeal stemmed from a financial dispute as she had reportedly failed to pay a balance of Shs 9 million for a vehicle she had purchased from Ssebuwufu’s car dealership.
The group of convicts, which included Ssebuwufu, Godfrey Kayiza, Phillip Mirembe, and Paul Tasingika, were found guilty of multiple charges, including kidnap with intent to murder, murder, and aggravated robbery. They also stole Katusabe’s sim cards and a mobile phone worth Shs 300,000.
High Court Judge Justice Flavia Anglin Ssenoga (as she then was), who presided over the case in 2019, handed down concurrent punishments ranging from 20 to 40 years for the various offenses committed. Additionally, she ordered the convicts, except for Stephen Lwanga, to compensate Katusabe’s grieving family with Shs 100 million for their profound loss.
Despite this initial ruling, all the convicts, except Stephen Lwanga, appealed against their sentences. In 2021, the Court of Appeal justices, including Fredrick Egonda-Ntende, Catherine Bamugemereire, and Christopher Izama Madrama, reduced the years of punishment for each convict. Ssebuwufu received an 18-year term, while the others received 16 years.
Dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s decision, Ssebuwufu contested the murder conviction, arguing that there was no proof of malice aforethought and his participation. The group also criticized the Court of Appeal for confirming the Shs 100 million compensation order without adequate justification and for overlooking mitigating factors, such as their time spent on remand.
While delivering the decision, the Supreme Court justices emphasized the severity of Katusabe’s injuries, leaving no doubt that she was maliciously killed by Ssebuwufu and his associates. They affirmed Ssebuwufu’s presence at the crime scene and established a direct link between Katusabe’s arrest and him.
This decision by the Supreme Court brings an end to a long and challenging legal battle in the Betty Katusabe murder case, providing some measure of closure to her grieving family.
