By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The High Court presided over by Justice Alex Mackay Ajiji on Tuesday, 4th August, 2026 sentenced two people to death and 7 others to life imprisonment over kidnap and murder of businesswoman Susan Magara.
According to the Office Director of Prosecutions, Justice Ajiji found A4, Hajara Nakandi, and A9, Buvumbo Musa Abbas for having played leading roles in the kidnap with intent to procure a ransom and the subsequent murder of Susan Magara.
The High Court has sentenced the nine accused persons in the murder of Susan Magara, bringing to a close one of Uganda’s most high-profile kidnap-for-ransom prosecutions.
In its judgment, the court found that A4, the only female member of the group, remained with the deceased throughout her captivity and played a central role in the events that culminated in Susan Magara’s death. The court held that the decision to kill the deceased was influenced by the fear that she had spent sufficient time with her captors to identify them.
The court further found that Buvumbo played a particularly brutal role in the commission of the offences. According to the court, he severed two of the deceased’s fingers during the ransom negotiations and later participated in causing her death by administering ketamine before suffocating her.
The court also ordered that properties found to have been acquired using the ransom proceeds be confiscated and forfeited, with the proceeds of sale paid to the estate of the late Susan Magara, in accordance with the court’s orders.
The other convicts are; Yusuf Lubega, Hussein Wasswa, Muzamiru Ssali, Abubaker Kyewolwa, Mahad Kasalita, Hassan Kato Miiro and Ismail Bukenya.
Magara, 28, was kidnapped in 2018 by unknown assailants while on her way home in Lungujja, Lubaga division.
Prosecution told court that deceased was held captive for about three weeks, tortured and later killed despite her family paying a ransom of about $200,000 (approximately Shs 700 million).
While the convicts were arrested in April during an operation at Usafi mosque conducted by a joint security team comprising the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda People’s Defence Force and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence.
According to security agencies, the operation followed intelligence linking the group to Magara’s murder and other criminal activities.
During the trial process, which began in October 2023, prosecution presented several witnesses, including Yusuf Muhindo, a senior Hansard editor at Parliament, police officer Sgt Enock Kiganyira and members of the victim’s family.
Magara’s father, John Magara, told court that the kidnappers initially demanded $1 million (about Shs3 billion) for her release before the family paid part of the ransom.
He testified that the family later received a package allegedly containing the victim’s fingers and was subsequently informed that her body had been recovered in Kigo zone.
Flora Magara, the deceased’s paternal aunt, also testified that she delivered the ransom money to the kidnappers along Busabala road.
