Sandra Ainebyoona.
Kampala, Uganda – The High Court’s International Crimes Division, presided over by Justice Richard Wejuli Wabwire, has adjourned the pre-trial hearing of the Twin Bombing case to September 14, 2023. The case involves 19 individuals facing charges related to terrorism, belonging to a terrorist group known as ADF (Allied Defense Forces), and aiding and abetting terrorism.
The proceedings were delayed as the state prosecutor, Thomas Jatiko, informed the court that the police file from the CID headquarters had just been received, necessitating time to disclose the file to the defense. The accused persons are being represented by Asiimwe Anthony.
Among the accused is Kwikiriza, who raised an issue regarding his age at the time of arrest, claiming to have been below 18 years old. In response, Justice Richard Wejuli Wabwire ordered a medical examination for Kwikiriza to verify his claim. A medical report is expected to be presented in court by September 14, 2023, to clarify this matter.
The prosecution’s case is built upon the allegations that several individuals, including Muwonge, Mutiwa, Bogere, Jukko, Wambedde, Nsubuga, Kiyemba, Jero, and others still at large, between 2017 and the present, were associated with or professed membership to the terrorist organization ADF, contravening section 11(1)(A) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002.
According to the evidence gathered during investigations, Uganda experienced a series of indiscriminate bomb attacks in 2021 that induced fear and panic among the public. The alleged mastermind behind these attacks, Sharif Kiyemba, remains at large. The preliminary investigations led to the detention of numerous suspects, including five women accused of aiding, harboring, financing, and supporting Kiyemba in his activities related to terrorism.
One of the detainees, Ismail Kiyemba, confessed to his involvement in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including the one used by a deceased suicide bomber on a Swift Bus. Ismail Kiyemba disclosed that Sharif Kiyemba had commissioned him to create a bomb with a larger capacity for potential future use. The evidence further indicates that this higher-capacity bomb was intended for deployment in March 2022, as Sharif Kiyemba grew cautious due to the ongoing police pursuit.
