The Makindye General Court Martial, has sentenced two former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) informers to death, over the murder of two women and a boda boda rider in a fake bomb scheme, in June last year.
The court, presided over by Brigadier Richard Tukacungurwa on Wednesday sentenced former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) recruits, Hamza Lyavaala and Adiil Walusansa, following their own guilty pleas during the trial.
The duo are jointly accused alongside the former special operations director in the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, who they accused of being the mastermind behind the bombings during the Martyrs day celebrations, at Munyonyo and Kalerwe later on in the same month.
During sentencing, Brig Tukacungurwa noted that the court had found that the duo participated in a carefully planned fake bomb scheme in which the victims were recruited, transported from Busoga and given explosive devices to carry out purported suicide missions.
During trial, prosecution told court that three weeks to the Martyrs’ Day celebrations, Byaruhanga convened a meeting at Gowers Hotel in Namulanda, during which he briefed the duo about a planned suicide mission.
Byaruhanga allegedly then went on to facilitate the two men to rent a house in Kinaawa, Nateete, arrange transport for two women from Busoga and link them to Anthony Ssekalaala, who allegedly made the improvised explosive devices.
Prosecution further told court that on the fateful Marty’s day celebrations, Byaruhanga drove Lyavaala and Walusansa to Munyonyo and told them he had linked up with officers from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JAT), who believed the operation was genuine.
Evidence presented in court indicated that Lyavaala brought Sumaya Byaruhanga from Busoga and that she died at the scene after detonating an explosive device at Munyonyo.
Court documents further indicated that on June 21, 2025, another woman, Sawiya Azuta, was reportedly intercepted after Byaruhanga alerted JAT that she was carrying two bombs allegedly intended for detonation at Kalerwe Market.
The prosecution told court that investigations established that the operations were staged and intended to create fear among the public and the State.
