By Spy Uganda
The office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped murder charges against State minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Aidah Elios Nantaba.
Nantaba was facing charges of allegedly murdering Ronald Ssebulime, together with police officers who include David Ssali and others still at large
However, the DPP Mike Chibita on Monday afternoon informed the Mukono Magistrates Court that the State had lost interest in the case file and dropped charges against all the accused.
The family of the late Ssebulime dragged Nantaba to court in connection with his murder. Through their lawyer, Muwada Nkunyingi, the family, led by the deceased’s sister Sylvia Nakayita, also sued two police officers and the minister’s body guard.
Mukono Chief Magistrate’s court later summoned Nantaba, but she snubbed the summons.
According to the court summon signed by the Mukono chief magistrate, Juliet Hatanga, Nantaba was wanted together with police constables, Ronald Opilo, Ronald Baganza and Edward Cherotich.
The four were being accused by Ssebulime’s sister Nakayita of murder contrary to section 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act and giving false information to a person employed in public service contrary to section 115 of the Penal Code Act.
Hatanga had ordered the suspects to appear before court on July 15 but Nantaba and the co-accused didn’t appear.
Ssebulime was gunned down in cold blood on March 24, 2019 at Nagojje trading center in Mukono district after Nantaba raised false alarm that he was trailing her vehicle on a motorcycle with intentions of harming her.
The deceased was arrested, handcuffed and dumped on a police patrol truck. He was later pulled off the truck and shot to death at close range.
When court first sat for mentioning of the case, only Corporal David Ssali, who admitted to have pulled the trigger, appeared before court. Nantaba had earlier on repeatedly ignored police summons to record a statement about the incident.
However, the DPP Chibita did not give reasons why the State had decided to lose interest in the case.
