City business man and pine car bond proprietor Muhammad Ssebuwufu has been pinned by state witnesses over the murder of business woman Donna Katusabe.
Last week, Ssebuwufu denied the murder charges, claiming he was in court on the fateful day of Katusabe’s murder. However, it is said, that the deceased had been tortured for days, and not just one.
However, on Thursday, three state witnesses while appearing before court presided over Lady Justice Flavia Anglin Ssenoga testified against the accused.
The trio, Peter Tumusiime, Annet Kobusingye and Amon Mwesigye were presented before the High Court Criminal Division in Kampala by Prosecution led by Winfred Kobusingye from Tumwebaze, Atugonza and Kobusingye Advocate
They told court that on the fateful evening of 21st October 2015, they received a call from someone informing them that Katusabe had been kidnapped and locked up in a room at pine car bond. Katusabe was a client with Tumwebaze, Atugonza and Kobusingye Advocates where the three witnesses worked.
Peter Tumusiime, was the first witness to testify before a fully packed court room. Tumusiime told court that he proceeded to the alleged scene at pine car bond where he found people gathered.
He was then led by Muhamad Ssebuwufu to a room where Katusabe had been locked up and that the late Katusabe told him that she had been threatened with death if she did not pay the nine million shillings she owed Muhammad Ssebuwufu.
Tumusiime says he saw six strong men kicking and boxing the late Katusabe on breasts and her private parts, in a room where she was kept at Pine Car Bond. He was later called to Central Police Station Kampala where he was informed that Katusabe was dead.
During trial, it emerged however that the testimonies by the three State witnesses had not been recorded as part of the statements recorded to CPS three years ago.
Ssebuwufu is accused along with Godfrey Kayiza, Philip Mirambe, Stephen Lwanga, Paul Tasingika, Yoweri Kitayimba, Shaban Otuddu and Damaseni Ssentongo. They attentively listened while in the dock as the witnesses narrated to court on Thursday.
The witnesses were able to properly identify Ssebuwufu in High Court as the person they saw torturing Katusabe. They said that it is the same person they had identified at the police identification parade in 2015.
Justice Flavia Anglin Ssenoga adjourned the matter up to 12th February 2018, to allow the Defense lawyers, led by Caleb Alaka to consult from their clients before they proceed with cross examination of the witnesses.
Ssebuwufu and the co-accused are charged with murder, aggravated robbery and kidnap allegedly committed in 2015.
