By our reporter
High Court sitting in Mukono has ordered government to compensate a suspect with Shs30 million for having been wrongfully arrested and imprisoned.
Ashraf Mugume, 34, a taxi driver was jailed for five years over a false murder case.
Mr Mugume, a resident of Namengo village in Lugazi Municipality, was arrested on October 4, 2012 on suspicion of having murdered a one Alex Nkuziya, an employee of SCOUL industry and yet at the time of the alleged murder, he was in prison facing other charges of theft.
While condemning the government to a Shs30 million compensation fee, on Monday, presiding judge Margaret Mutonyi hit out at the OC CID, Mr Henry Ayebare and State Prosecutor, Ms Fatuma Ssendagire for having done a shoddy job by sanctioning flimsy murder charges against Mr Mugume without any supporting evidence.
The judge described the duo as ‘incompetent’ before setting Mugume free, five years after being on remand for a crime he did not commit.
Justice Mutonyi noted that Mr Ayebare arrested Mr Mugume the very day he was released from prison, charged him for murder and sent the file to the Ms Ssendagire who also sent it to High Court for trial.
“The two parties; Mr Ayebare and Ms Ssendagire did not investigate and arrested an innocent man,” Justice Mutonyi said.
“I am surprised that the two parties can falsely charge an innocent person, Mr Ayebare is incompetent, Ms Ssendagire is also incompetent and therefore, are not fit to serve the people because they do not know their work,” Justice Mutonyi said.
Justice Mutonyi said such incompetent government officers should not be given chance to work in public offices.
In a related development, the same court found guilty a one Abdul Kawere of sacrificing his brother, Ibrahim Mbulangu. Court sentenced him to 30 years in jail.
Court heard that October 10, 2012, the convict who is a resident of Wakiso District, together with a witchdoctor Abdul Ssenfuma, killed Mbulangu and dumped his body in Lwayali River in Goma Division, Mukono District.
On the fateful day, court heard, Kawere called his brother and asked him to meet him in Bweyogere to finalise a deal of transporting some goods.
Kawere drove his brother to River Lwayali and killed him with the help of the witch doctor. The two poured the blood in the river. The aim was to invoke special spiritual powers that would give Kawere wealth.
