Charles Ariko
29 May 2008
Kampala — A MAN believed to be the leader of a gang that raped a female doctor in Kampala earlier this month was yesterday charged with rape and a string of other offences, including aggravated robbery, theft and house-breaking.
In the same Buganda Road Court session, presided over by Francis Kobusheshe, were 10 other suspects who were charged with aggravated robbery, theft and loitering with pangas at night.
The accused men are believed to be part of the gang that has been terrorising Kampala and its suburbs in recent months.
The court heard that on May 6, Hassan Ssebirumbi, 23, a resident of Kazo in Kawempe Division, together with boda-boda rider Ronald Semakula, broke into the doctor's house at Nalule in Nansana West.
They grabbed two mobile phones belonging to the doctor's husband, a DVD player, two ATM cards and a suitcase containing baby clothes.
Ssebirumbi and other suspects, who are still at large, are said to have dragged the doctor from her house to a nearby field and gang-raped her.
Ssebirumbi was not allowed to plead to the charges of rape and aggravated robbery because these are capital offences that can only be tried by the High Court.
On the charge of aggravated robbery, Ssebirumbi was jointly charged with Semakula, Francis Sebugwawo, alias Drake, a brick-layer of Nansana East in Wakiso district, and Mohamad Bogere, alias Medi, a resident of Namungoona in Rubaga division.
Others on the same charges are Joseph Kiwanuka, alias Jose, and Edward Seruwooza, alias Kalipiki, a chapati vendor who resides in Kasoma village, Wakiso district. In addition, Ssebirumbi was charged with four other suspects for breaking into the shop of Eric Bagiri in Nansana West between May 16 and 17, where they stole sh6.9m cash and airtime cards worth sh7m.
His co-accused on this charge was Sedrick Sebugwawo, 25, a brick-layer of Nsumbi village in Wakiso.
In another incident, Ssebirumbi and his accomplices, Francis Sebugwawo, Semakula, Kiwanuka and Bogere, are accused of robbing sh750,000 from Hajji Mayanja, a resident of Yesu Amala in Nansana.
Some of the accused were also charged with being in possession of 14 master-keys. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were sent to Luzira Prison after the prosecutor, Ketty Basuuta, informed the court that the Police was still investigating the cases. The suspects will be brought back to court on June 13 for mention of the cases.
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