The trial of 14 suspects accused of killing Muslim clerics between 2014 and 2015 kicked off yesterday with a prosecution witness, a medical billing clerk, telling the International Crimes division (ICD) of High court that a dying Sheikh Mustafah Bahiga refused treatment.
The trial is presided over by justices: Ezekiel Muhanguzi, Percy Tuhaise and Jane Kiggundu. The clerk worked at Namulundu medical centre at Bwebajja on Entebbe road, where Bahiga was rushed for first aid treatment on the evening of December 28, 2014.
Upon arrival at the clinic, she said, Bahiga rejected treatment because he claimed he was going to die with or without medication. “He [Bahiga] pulled the cannula out of his body,” she said, adding, “And he [Bahiga] said don’t make me go through this pain because I know I’m going to die….”
The witness said Bahiga, in his dying declaration, said in Luganda: “Kamoga bwotyo bwosazewo. Kale kanfirire ediini yange. [Kamoga this is your decision, okay, let me die for my religion.]
Prodded further, the witness said Bahiga was referring to Sheikh Yunus Kamoga, the leader of the Tabliq sect. This testimony corroborates the director of public prosecution’s (DPP) narrative that when Bahiga was shot, good Samaritans who rushed to the scene heard Bahiga say, “Kamoga anzise.” [Kamoga has killed me.]
ALSO READ: Sheikh Kamoga, 13 others deny plot to kill Prince Nakibinge
Besides Kamoga, the other suspects on trial include Siraji Kawooya, Murta Mudde Bukenya and Fahad Kalungi. Others are Amir Kinene, Hakim Abdulsalam alias Kassim Mulumba, Abdulhamid Sematimba Mubiru, Hamza Kasirye, Twaha Sekitto, Rashid Jingo, Musa Issa Mubiru and George William Iga.
The accused are also charged with murdering Sheikh Hassan Kirya and further face charges of attempted murder on Prince Kassim Nakibinge, the titular head of the Muslim community in Uganda, Sheikh Haruna Jemba, Najib Ssonko and Mahmood Kibaate.
The witness further told court that as Bahiga was being transferred to a bigger hospital in an ambulance, he repeated the same statements. “He rejected the drip,” she said, “Then he said: “this is what you have decided Kamoga, okay let me die for the religion.”
As he was driven along Entebbe road, the clerk led by Principal State Attorney Lino Anguzu, said Bahiga died. “The doctor had warned that he [Bahiga] would be lucky if he arrives at the hospital,” she testified.
“Soon after, we got a phone call from the ambulance driver informing us that the man was dead and that they had parked near Freedom City.”
Much as she had known Bahiga for a long time because he always accompanied his diabetic mother to the medical centre, she said she couldn’t recognize the bloodied sheikh on the fateful evening. “He was oozing with blood from his back,” she said.
“So, I couldn’t know if he was the one but I came to know that he was Bahiga the following day when I read the newspapers.”
CROSS-EXAMINATION
Fred Muwema, the lead defence lawyer, said Bahiga’s dying declaration was “vague.”
Muwema said the mere mention of Kamoga without his first name means Bahiga wasn’t clear.
“I didn’t know what he meant but all I know he mentioned that name Kamoga several times,” the clerk answered.
Source: Derrick Kiyonga/ Observer
