The General Court Martial in Makindye has sentenced a security guard to 41 years imprisonment for shooting dead a muslim cleric in Bugiri district in Eastern Uganda.
Mugoya Biasaali, a supervisor at SGA private security company was arrested in 2020 for killing Sheikh Masudi Mutumba, 60, the Iman for Iwemba Mosque in Iwemba parish, Iwemba sub-county in Bugiri district who was shot dead as he returned home from prayers at around 9:45 pm.
Following the shooting, the security guard was arraigned before the army court where he denied the murder charges slapped against him but last month, he pleaded guilty.
On Monday, the court chaired by Brig Freeman Mugabe sentenced the 43 year old security guard to 41 years of imprisonment.
"After listening to the submissions of both counsel for the state and convict on past record and mitigation respectively, this court has deliberated on this case and finds that whereas the maximum sentence for this offence is death, the convict pleaded guilty and he is a family man, therefore the sentence of 45 years imprisonment is appropriate," Brig Mugabe said.
He however noted that after deducting a period of three years, seven months and fifteen (15) days spent on remand and a period of five months for mitigating factors, the appropriate sentence is 41 years .
"This court hereby sentences you to 41 years and 15 days imprisonment. You have a right of appeal within 14 days if you are not satisfied with the decision of this court."
The shooting
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Sheikh was shot dead in February 2020 as he returned home from prayers, creating panic among members of the public who feared the resumption of the killing of muslim clerics.
However, following the arrest by the Police Flying Squad, investigations indicated that the muslim cleric was killed over a family land wrangle.
The security guard was apprehended following the arrest of several family members after the gruesome shooting who pinned a boda boda rider who had transported the assassin to and from the crime scene.
The hunt then led to the arrest of both the boda boda rider and another person who had also hired the assassin.
The security guard was tricked into coming for another mission before he was arrested.
He was together with seven others arraigned before the General Court Martial in Makindye.
Whereas others chose to deny the charges, the security guard changed his mind to plead guilty to the charges leading to his sentence.
His co-accused are still battling with murder charges.
