By Sadique Bamwita
KAMPALA
The Managing Director of Pine Car bond, Muhammad Ssebuwufu, who was a few years ago convicted over kidnap and murder of Betty Donah Katusabe over a debt of Shs10m, has been released from prison following an amended Presidential pardon.
The statement issued on February 27, 2026 by the Uganda Prisons Service, confirmed that the pardon was granted under Article 121(4)(a) of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, on the advice of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
“President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in accordance with Article 121 (4) (a) of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (as amended), and on the advice of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, has exercised his constitutional powers to grant a pardon to Convicted Prisoner No. 489, Hajji Muhammad Ssebufu, in an instrument dated 21st February 2026,” the statement reads.
Ssebuwufu who has spent close to 11 years in Luzira prison was initially sentenced to 40 years in prison, but in a 2025 ruling, a panel of three Court of Appeal Justices reduced his sentence to 18 years after re-evaluating the evidence and finding that the lower court’s sentence was excessively harsh.
Upon his release on Friday February 27, 2026, embattled tycoon Ssebufu, in an interview with the press, thanked President Museveni for pardoning him to be released from jail.
“Mr President, I am extremely happy to be one of the people you have remembered to be pardoned and released from prison because I begged you the first time and the second time, but I’m extremely happy that you have signed my release today and I am going to sleep at home with my children, I’m extremely happy” tycoon Ssebufu expressed his gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni.
Tycoon Ssebufu further said he has forgiven all other actors who were involved in his the case which he strongly denied taking part.
“Our disputes with you people were about land and houses, then you came and said I commanded you. What has hurt me most during my imprisonment is that you would have said I commanded that they beat a man but to say I commanded all of you to beat the woman, women are not beaten, they are simply explained to,” said Ssebufu.
Tycoon Ssebufu further congratulated President Museveni on winning his seventh term as President, ensuring his release and vowed to carry out any work assigned to him by the President as he used to do in the past before his imprisonment.
It should be recalled that in 2019, Justice Flavia Anglin Ssenoga sentenced Muhammed Ssebuwufu and six others to jail for 40 years for the murder of Betty Donah Katusabe. The others included Godfrey Kayiza, Phillip Mirambe, Paul Tasingika, Yoweri Kitayimba, Shaban Otuddu and Damaseni Ssentongo.
In her sentence, Justice Ssenoga awarded the tycoon and his co-accused 40 years for murder, 20 years for aggravated robbery and 30 years for kidnapping Katusabe with intentions of murdering her.
