Tycoon Godfrey Kato Kajubi was in 2012 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for hiring Umar Kateregga and his wife Mariam Nabukeera to slaughter 12-year-old Joseph Kasirye in a ritual sacrifice.
The High Court in Masaka has handed down a verdict sentencing former Kato Kajubi witchdoctor Moses Makumbi and his assistant Dennis Kabuye to life imprisonment for their involvement in the sacrificial killing of a juvenile.
The judgment, pronounced by Judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba, marked the culmination of a trial that laid bare the horrifying details of the crime committed against Passy Mirembe in Kayugi village, Nyendo Mukungwe Division, on October 23, 2017.
During the sentencing, State Prosecutor Noah Kunya painted a grim picture of the brutality inflicted upon the child, highlighting the gruesome manner in which her limbs were severed.
Kunya implored the court to mete out the harshest punishment possible, advocating for either the death penalty or hanging to serve as a deterrent to others.
However, defence counsel Alexander Lule Nkima mounted a spirited defense on behalf of Makumbi, emphasising his client's advanced age and extensive familial responsibilities.
Lule urged the court to consider a lighter sentence, stressing Makumbi's role as a provider for his four wives and 71 children.
"Makumbi needs to take care of other people; he should be given a lighter sentence," Lule pleaded.
In response to the defense's arguments, Judge Nakintu summoned the parents of the deceased to present their case.
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Moses Karangwa, the grief-stricken father, beseeched the court to compel Makumbi to surrender his daughter's remains, particularly her head, for a dignified burial.
"Court should order this witch doctor to surrender parts of our daughter," Karangwa implored, his voice trembling with emotion.
As Judge Nakintu delivered the verdict, she revealed the horrifying details of Mirembe's demise, recounting how her limbs and internal organs were ruthlessly removed.
Despite the defense lawyer's announcement of intent to appeal the court decision, citing dissatisfaction with the court's ruling, the verdict was met with a sense of closure and relief from the parents and residents.
"Now our daughter can rest in peace," Moses Karangwa, his eyes glistening with tears.
City tycoon Godfrey Kato Kajubi was in 2012 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for hiring Umar Kateregga, a witchdoctor and his wife Mariam Nabukeera to slaughter 12-year-old Joseph Kasirye in a ritual sacrifice.
