Rubirizi, Uganda | URN | The Second Division Court Martial in Rubirizi district has sentenced a Uganda People’s Defense Forces [UPDF] soldier to 101 years in jail for murder.
According to the prosecution led by Lt. James Omondi, Private Bobson Amutuheirize attached to the 27th battalion in Rubirizi district shot to death three people, Scovia Tibakazire Bembereza, Olivia Ninsiima, and Conrad Mayi, all residents of Nkondo village.
He also injured three others that include; Maureen Kyakusiimire, Rahuman Mawegye, Ramadhan Mawegye and Shirani Ahimbisibwe all residents of Mubanda village in Ryeru sub-county.
Omondi told the court on Tuesday 5th, January 2021 that the accused had signed for the gun and 120 rounds of ammunition to commit the offence. He added that at the time of the arrest, he had only three rounds of ammunition.
At the court-martial sitting at Mubanda Primary School in Ryeru sub county in Rubirizi district, Amutuhereize was convicted of murder on his plea of guilty to the killing of Tibakazire. He told the court that he was not sober at the time of the shooting.
“Yes I committed the case but I was not normal something like demons had taken over my mind,” he said. He however pleaded not guilty to other eight charges.
On the other two murders and six attempted murder charges, he pleaded not guilty saying that he did not intend to shoot the victims.
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Lt. Col. Emmanuel Mwesigwa, the Chairperson of the Court Martial found Amutuheirize guilty of three counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder. He sentenced Amutuheirize to 101 years for each of the three murder counts and 60 years for each of the three counts of attempted murder.
He said that Amutuheirize was to serve the sentence concurrently.
Amutuheirize pleaded to the court for lenience.
