The General Court Martial has convicted two former state informers, Hamza Lyavaala and Adiil Walusansa, over the deaths arising from the 2025 bomb operations in Munyonyo and Kalerwe after they admitted the prosecution’s account of how the incidents were planned and carried out.
Lyavaala and Walusansa pleaded guilty to two counts of murder when the charges and brief facts were read to them before the court chaired by Brigadier Richard Tukacungurwa on Monday.
The two were jointly charged with Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Byaruhanga, who has denied the allegations and is yet to face trial on the charges.
Prosecution told court that the first operation was planned ahead of the June 3, 2025 Martyrs’ Day celebrations, with Munyonyo Catholic Shrine identified as one of the intended targets.
According to the prosecution, about three weeks before Martyrs’ Day, Byaruhanga allegedly met Lyavaala and Walusansa at Goers Hotel in Namulanda along Entebbe Road and briefed them about the planned operation.
Lyavaala was allegedly tasked with finding a woman who could carry out the suicide bombing, while Walusansa was allegedly given money to rent a house in Kinawa, Natete, where preparations for the operation were made, the court heard.
Prosecution further alleged that Lyavaala contacted a man identified as Kassim, who brought a woman identified as Sumaya to the group. She was subsequently taken through preparations for the planned attack.
On June 3, 2025, the court heard that Byaruhanga drove Lyavaala and Walusansa to Munyonyo and allegedly told them that officers from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force were aware of the operation and would intervene.
Sumaya later left the house carrying explosives and travelled towards Munyonyo. The explosives detonated near Kagwa Bridge, close to the Munyonyo Catholic Shrine, killing her and the motorcycle rider.
The incident was initially reported by the UPDF as an intelligence-led operation in which counter-terrorism officers intercepted two suspected terrorists. The army said the female suspect was carrying explosives and that the blast occurred about 600 metres from the intended target.
The court heard that the alleged operation did not end with the Munyonyo incident.
About a week later, prosecution alleged, Byaruhanga contacted Lyavaala and Walusansa and instructed them to find another person to carry out a similar operation.
The second woman, identified in court as Azatu Sawiya, was allegedly taken to Kalerwe for reconnaissance before another attack was planned.
On June 21, 2025, Lyavaala allegedly had two bombs in his possession and, with Byaruhanga’s knowledge, handed one to Sawiya and another to Kassim, according to the prosecution.
Sawiya was then allegedly instructed to travel from Busega by boda boda towards Kalerwe Market, where security officers were monitoring her movements.
When she reached Kalerwe, she was shot dead by security operatives and the explosive device she was carrying was later detonated in a controlled operation.
The Kalerwe incident had initially been reported by the UPDF as the killing of a suspected female suicide bomber near the busy market, only weeks after the Munyonyo explosion. The army said at the time that its bomb squad had been deployed to the area to examine the explosive device.
When the brief facts of the two murder charges were presented to Lyavaala and Walusansa on Monday, both accepted the prosecution’s account.
“Since you have accepted brief facts of the case, you are hereby convicted at your own plea of guilt,” Brigadier Tukacungurwa told the two accused.
The prosecution has asked the court to impose the maximum penalty, arguing that the operations targeted members of the public and created fear in the country.
“The convicts had targeted vulnerable people and created fear among the public. I pray that the court imposes the death penalty to safeguard national security,” Lieutenant Regina Nanzaala told the court during sentencing submissions.
The defence, however, asked the court to consider the accused persons’ guilty pleas, family responsibilities and prospects for rehabilitation.
Defence lawyer Major Simon Nsubuga Busagwa described the two as family men and sole breadwinners and urged the court to impose an individual and proportionate sentence.
“Sentencing must be individualised and proportionate,” Major Nsubuga submitted, asking the court to consider their early admission of guilt and personal circumstances.
The court will return on October 12 to determine the sentence against Lyavaala and Walusansa.
Meanwhile, the case against Lieutenant Colonel Byaruhanga will continue separately since he has denied the charges.
The proceedings have also brought renewed attention to allegations surrounding the security operations that followed the two incidents. The latest court evidence indicates that the Munyonyo and Kalerwe operations were allegedly linked to a wider scheme rather than being independent terror incidents as they were initially presented.
The developments have also been featured in an investigation involving senior military officials, including former Chief of Military Intelligence Major General James Birungi, who is facing separate charges arising from allegations that intelligence reports concerning purported terrorist threats were fabricated to obtain operational funds. Birungi has denied the allegations.
