For the gruesome murder of a former Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) accounts clerk Mr. Angel Kobusheeshe,32, and robbery at gun point of 730 $ plus 403,400/=from the same organization, Lans Corporal Peter Maliamungu will spend 40 years in jail.
“Being a trained soldier and a member of the UPDF, Maliamungu ought to have known that the army is here to protect the civilians but not turn guns against them and robbing their property,” submitted the state prosecutor, Lt. Alex Mukwana before the second UPDF division court martial chaired by Colonel Geoffrey Mujuni handed over the convict a 30 year jail term for murder and 10 years for aggravated robbery to run consecutively.
The state prosecutor also convinced court that Maliamungu formerly attached to Central African Republic in pursuit of LRA rebels as well as a former member of Special Wildlife Integrated Force for Tourism (SWIFT),had robbed from a key foreign exchange revenue earning sector of Tourism which might have negatively impacted on our tourists and thus affected the entire economy.”It is my humble prayer your honour that your convict be given the most harsh sentence to serve as a lesson for others with similar intentions, and show that UPDF has an image to protect,” concluded the prosecutor.
In mitigation, the defense counsel Captain Paul Rwabwogo had asked for a lighter sentence in view of the fact that Maliamungu was first offender with no previous criminal record as well as a father of four and a wife to fend for, let alone the one year he had spent on remand. The convict himself never prayed for any leniency when asked by court to make any prayer.
RA 177901 Maliamungu aged 32,was convicted of Murdering Angel Kobusheeshe by shooting him through both thighs on February 19,2013 at the Ishasha camp ,Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kanungu District, and aggravated robbery when he stole money from the UWA strong room having put a Law enforcement ranger, Miriam Kyokusiima at gun point.
He was arrested by a joint force of UWA operatives, police and UPDF on April 25, 2013 in Kihihi town as he tried to board a Rukungiri bus bound bus from a hide out along the road. He subsequently led the forces to a spot where he had hidden an AK 47 gun with 21 rounds of ammunition, and was put on remand at Mbarara central prison from he has been undergoing trial in the court martial.
The court martial chairman Col. Geoffrey Mujuni with the help of the Judge Advocate Captain Genevive Ganza and six members, ruled that prosecution had successfully proved beyond reasonable double all the ingredients of murder and aggravated robbery.
He said the prosecution witnesses particularly Ms Kyokusiima who was present when the deceased was shot, properly identified the convict and placed him at the scene of the crime, while Dr. Julius Baluku confirmed the deceased died of external injuries from bullets which led to excessive bleeding and shock. He said there was murder of a person by the convict with malice aforethought, which was unlawful and attempted pleas by the convict that at the time he had been hospitalized in West Nile had been deflected during cross examination.
On aggravated robbery, court was satisfied with the evidence from witnesses that there was theft at gun point and the convict was involved.
The widow to Late Kobusheeshe, Mrs Hope Mbabazi Kobusheeshe who attended court with her children and her parents welcomed the ruling saying justice had been done to her tormentors though this would not reduce her burden of fending for the four orphans including one who was two months in the womb when the unfortunate incident occurred.
On the other hand, the father to the deceased Mr. Richard Karyaija felt the sentence was very light compared to the magnitude of suffering the killer of his son unleashed on the immediate family.