Three people were on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment for killing Fred Walugembe, the Rakai district Records Officer.
The three are Josephine Nakabugo, who is Walugembe’s widow and two casual laborers Antonio Habyarimaana and Francis Kwashaho.
Masaka High Court judge Elizabeth Ibanda found the trio guilty for Walugembe’s murder.
Walugembe was killed in a ritual murder on October 16th 2009 near Rakai town council.
The convicts were arrested days after Walugembe’s body was found dumped in a bush near Rakai Nursing school.
Police also recovered a machete believed to have been used in the murder and also discovered a grave-like pit and blood stained clothes belonging to the deceased in Nakabugo’s house.
Prosecution told court that Nakabugo hired Habyarimaana and Kwashaho to kill Walugembe over a domestic disagreement. Court heard that after killing Walugembe, the three cut off his privates parts, tongue, some teeth and nose.
Both Habyarimaana and Kwashaho pleaded guilty to the offence saying that they were hired by Nakabugo to kill Walugembe because he was having an extra marital affair with their maid, Harriet Nakyanzi.
Nakabugo however pleaded not guilty to the offence saying Walugembe had told her that he was going to Juba, Southern Sudan.
Justice Elizabeth Ibanda dismissed Nakabugo’s defence as a pack of lies intended to derail court. Justice Ibanda therefore sentenced the trio to life in prison saying the prosecution and court proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nakabugo and her co-accused committed the offense.
Justice Ibanda said the evidence presented to her such as the medical report, blood stains, and Walugembe’s mobile phone recovered from Nakabugo’s bag proved beyond reasonable doubt that the trio conspired to commit murder contrary to section 185 and 186 of the penal code act.
Justice Ibanda however asked them to appeal in 14 days if they are not contented with her judgment.
The trio looked relaxed before they were whisked away by prisons officers to Masaka Central Prison ahead of their transfer to Luzira prison.
