Two sentenced to death, seven to life for Susan Magara's kidnap and murder

Justice Alex Mackay Ajiji handed down the maximum penalty to Hajjarah Nakandi and Abbas Musa Buvumbo, citing their direct involvement in the brutal abduction, extended captivity, torture, and eventual murder of Susan Magara. The judge characterized the offenses as among the “rarest of the rare” under Uganda’s sentencing guidelines, deeming the killing senseless given that the ransom had already been paid.

Sentenced to life imprisonment were Yusuf Lubega, Hussein Wasswa, Hassan Kato Miiro, Muzamir Ssali, Muhammad Kisalita, Abubakar Kyewolya, and Ismail Bukenya. They were found to have participated in a meticulously planned criminal operation, from coordinating meetings and planning the kidnapping to guarding the victim and distributing the ransom money.

Magara, 28, was abducted in February 2018 while driving home. Her kidnappers demanded a substantial ransom, eventually accepting $200,000. Despite the payment, they severed two of her fingers and sent them to her family with a plea from Magara. Her body was discovered weeks later, with a postmortem revealing she died from manual strangulation after nearly three weeks of captivity, during which she endured significant torture.

The judge emphasized that the convicts acted with common intention, motivated purely by financial gain. The court considered the brutality inflicted on Magara, noting that she was blindfolded throughout her captivity and ultimately murdered to prevent her from identifying her captors. The court also ordered the forfeiture of assets, including vehicles and land, acquired with the ransom money, to be transferred as compensation to Magara’s family.

The prolonged trial, spanning over eight years, involved extensive evidence from numerous prosecution witnesses, including forensic experts and investigators. The sentences aim to deter organized criminal syndicates and reinforce public confidence in the justice system.