The High Court sitting in Arua, has ordered for an inquest into the death of the National Unity Platform’s (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu aka Bobi Wine’s driver Yasin Kawuma.
In a judgement dated July 6th 2026, Justice Harriet Grace Magala ordered for an inquest into the suspected unlawful death of Kawuma, who was shot dead on August 13, 2018 in Arua inside Bobi Wine’s car, to be conducted by a coroner or magistrate.
“The court under Section 27(a) of the Inquests Act (supra) and Section 37 of the Judicature Act, Cap. 16 finds that it is just and fair to order an inquest into the deceased’s death. The inquest shall be carried out by the Chief Magistrate of Arua Chief Magistrates’ Court” Justice Magala ruled.
The ruling stems from a 2019 case filed by the late Kawuma’s widow, Alice Mwesigwa through her lawyers Mr. Kwemara Kafuuzi of M/s Rwakafuuzi & Co. Advocates against then internal affairs Minister Jeje Odong and the Attorney General before the court, in which she sought to appoint a coroner to inquire into the suspected unnatural death of her late husband.
According to court records, on the 13th day of August 2018, at around 6:40 pm, Alice’s husband, Yasin Kawuma (‘deceased’), a driver for Hon. Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, aka Bobi Wine, was shot during the by-election campaigns for
the Member of Parliament for Arua Municipality in Arua Municipality.
The cause of death, as stated in the medical certificate, was a brain injury due to gunshot wounds.
However, the defence lawyer Mr. Onyango Fred Osende, opposed to the appointment of a coroner arguing that the court didnt have the power to order the minister to appoint coroners.
He further argued that Kawuma’s widow, Alice had failed to exhaust remedies by petitioning the Magistrate in Arua and instead rushed
to the High court to embarrass Jeje Odongo.
“..and set the Executive and the Judiciary on a collision course, thereby making this Application an abuse of court processes” he said.
However following submissions of both, court declined the defense’s objection to appointing a coroner, noting that the death of Kawuma was not in dispute to have been un natural, having died from gunshot wounds as shown and confirmed in the Medical Cause of Death Certificate dated 14, August 2018, issued by the Arua Regional Referral Hospital.
“Thus, when one’s right to life is taken away in circumstances where the death is not due to natural causes, and there is no clear explanation of how the incident that led to the death occurred, there is a need for an investigation or inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death. This is in the interests of justice, the deceased’s family, and the public” she said.
Justice Magala further noted that the inquest will assist in finding answers to the circumstances surrounding the
death of Kawuma, whose life was suspected to have been unjustly taken away.
“In the matter before the court, Section 27(a) of the Inquests Act (supra) does not authorize the 1st Respondent to appoint a coroner, but this Court has the authority to order an inquest into a person’s death. An inquest can be conducted only by a coroner” she said.
She added, “The court under Section 27(a) of the Inquests Act (supra) and Section 37 of the Judicature Act, Cap. 16 finds that it is just and fair to order an inquest into the deceased’s death. The inquest shall be carried out by the
Chief Magistrate of Arua Chief Magistrates’ Court”.
The court didn’t make any orders on the costs of the case.
