The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Iganga, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | High Court Judge, Justice David Batema on Tuesday sentenced a father, Hassan Kafudde to 52 years imprisonment for the murder of his son. There were also long sentences for one accomplice, but the witch doctor involved, who had got 3 years, was set free as he had been in remand for six years.
The High Court of Uganda Circuit at Iganga, was told that Kafudde sacrificed the son in a ritual murder because he believed it would get him riches.
The prosecution argued that on 6th June 2017, the convicts at Musita village in Mayuge District chopped off the head and genitals of a child MJ in a ritual sacrifice.
Earlier, one of those arrested, Issa Muyita pleaded guilty, entered a plea bargain, and offered to testify on behalf of the prosecution as a witness. He was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. The trial proceeded against Kafudde and Kabaale Mubaraka who pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, Muyita confessed that he walked with Kafudde from Musita trading centre to the sugarcane plantation, wherein he presented his son MJ to Hassan Kafudde.
The son was killed in a sugarcane plantation near a stream. Kafudde then scooped the blood in a polythene bag or kavera and took the chopped body parts in his bag.
He also dug a shallow grave, in which they buried the headless trunk of the sacrificed boy. Kafudde was consequently found guilty of sacrificing the child MJ in a ritual murder and convicted as charged. However, it was later demonstrated in court that Mubaraka did not actively participate in the commission of the offense.
It was however shown to court that Mubaraka was a witch doctor who had shrines in Musita village and was notified by Hassan Kafudde of the action that had been committed.
Mubaraka later went into hiding after the incident. He was however, found guilty of accessory to the murder contrary to section 394 of the Penal Code Act.
At the end of the trial, Bateema, through the High Court of Uganda Circuit at Iganga, convicted and sentenced accomplices Muyita , Kafudde and Mubaraka for the count of trafficking in persons contrary to section 4(a), 5(c) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act.
Hassan Kafudde was sentenced to 52 years imprisonment, while Mubaraka was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment.
While delivering his judgement, Batema said the court condemns the ritual sacrifice of children, cutting off their bodies or dealing in body parts, adding that, the same are serious crimes.
Batema explained that he decided to slap Kafudde with a long custodial sentence because he was unremorseful throughout the court hearing and unwilling to show cause of regret for the crime.
Batema ruled that Kafudde should spend 52 years in Kirinya prisons including the six years spent on remand.
The judge found Kabaale Mubaraka guilty of being an accessory to committing a crime, but he was hesitant to alert police about the same.
Batema sentenced him to three years imprisonment, but since Kabaale had already served six years on remand, he directed for his immediate release.
Jacqueline Okui, the DPP spokesperson, hailed the court for the landmark judgment, arguing that it will deter other individuals from involving themselves in this form of criminality.
Okui further challenged parents to be at the forefront of safeguarding their children’s wellbeing, noting that, acts of directly or indirectly involving themselves in child rights abuses like ritual murders will attract big custodial sentences.
The investigations of this matter were guided by Aliwali Kizito Chief State Attorney and the matter was prosecuted by Racheal Bikhole Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and Head of Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Division, Nyanzi Gladys Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Biira Peace Chief State Attorney and Arap Malinga a Senior State Attorney of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
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