The High Court has detailed how each of the nine convicts contributed to the kidnap and murder of businesswoman Susan Magara, describing a criminal operation in which members worked together to abduct, hold captive and ultimately kill the 28-year-old.
Justice Alex Mackay Ajiji found that the group operated with a shared criminal intention, with each member assigned a different role in planning the abduction, managing Magara's captivity, collecting the ransom and carrying out her murder.
The court sentenced Nakandi Hajjara and Buvumbo Abaas Musa to death after finding them to have played the most direct roles in Magara's killing.
Nakandi was found to have provided one of the houses used to hold Magara during her captivity, guarded the premises and later made the decision to kill her after believing that the victim had identified members of the gang.
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The court heard that after Magara recognised some of her captors, Nakandi concluded that releasing her would expose the group, leading to the decision to eliminate her.
Buvumbo Abaas Musa was found to have carried out the most violent acts against Magara before her death.
According to the court, Buvumbo cut off two of Magara's fingers, injected her with ketamine and later suffocated her using a polythene bag, causing her death.
The remaining seven convicts were handed life imprisonment after the court found that although they did not directly kill Magara, their actions were critical to the execution of the crime.
Bukenya Ismail, an imam at a makeshift mosque in Usafi Market, was found to have played a key organisational role. The court ruled that he hosted meetings where the kidnapping was planned and later helped manage the distribution of the ransom money.
Kato Hassan Miiro and Wasswa Hussein were convicted for guarding the locations where Magara was held captive, ensuring that she remained under the control of the kidnappers.
Kyewolwa Abubaker was found guilty of collecting the US$200,000 ransom paid by Magara's family in exchange for her release.
The court established that despite receiving the ransom, the gang did not release Magara and instead proceeded to kill her.
Lubega Yusuf was convicted for actively participating in the kidnapping operation, with evidence showing that he served as one of the drivers involved in transporting members of the criminal group and executing the abduction.
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Ssali Muzamir was also found to have guarded the premises where Magara was detained before she was eventually killed.
Justice Ajiji said the different roles played by the accused did not diminish their responsibility because they acted as part of one criminal enterprise.
The court held that the planning, abduction, ransom demands and murder were interconnected acts carried out with a common intention, making all the convicts responsible for the tragic death of Susan Magara.
Magara, the daughter of businessman Eria Magara, was kidnapped on February 7, 2018, as she returned home in Kampala. Her abductors demanded a ransom from her family, but she was later found murdered and her body dumped in Kigo, Wakiso District, days after her disappearance.
