The Court of Appeal has started hearings of 30 criminal appeals in a session that will last two weeks.
The in-house session is being presided over by Justices; Fredrick Egonda-Ntende, Catherine Bamugemereire and Christopher Madrama consists of 11 Murder, five Aggravated Defilement, four Aggravated Defilement, and three Anti-corruption related appeals.
The other appeals being handled are two Manslaughter, one Arson, one Rape, one unlawful possession of specimen of protected species, and two other orders.
On the first day of the hearings, Justice Bamugemereire, who was not physically present in court, joined the other Justices by way of zoom technology.
On the cause-list signed by the Court’s Registrar, HW Susan Kanyange, shows that among the appeals to be handled is that of businessman Ssebuwufu Mohammed and seven others who are challenging their conviction and subsequent jail convictions for Murder, Aggravated Robbery, and Kidnap with intent to murder. Ssebuwufu and his co-appellants were convicted by the High Court for torturing Donah Katushabe to death in 2015 over Shs9m.
Among the three Anti-corruption appeals to be handled is that of former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister, Geoffrey Kazinda, who is appealing against the conviction of three counts of illicit enrichment which he is serving a 15-year jail sentence.
The Court’s Registrar explained that the Justices are handling the main suits alongside their applications in the session.
She added that the session will be conducted in conformity to prevailing Covid-19 protocols to avert its spread. “The parties in the matters will follow by way of video conferencing but their advocates will be physically present in court during the court hearings.”
