The office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped murder charges against State minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Aidah Elios Nantaba.
Nantaba has been under investigation after the murder of Ssebulime, who was reportedly gunned down after he was suspected of trailing and trying to kill the minister.
The Police admitted that Ronald Ssebulime was wrongfully killed by their officer after suspecting him of having attempted to assassinate Idah Nantaba.
The family of the late Ssebulime dragged Nantaba to court in connection with his murder. Through their lawyer, Muwada Nkunyingi, the family, led by the deceased’s sister Sylvia Nakayita, also sued two police officers and the minister’s body guard.
Mukono Chief Magistrate’s court later summoned Nantaba, but she snubbed the summons.
According to the court summon signed by the Mukono chief magistrate, Juliet Hatanga, Nantaba was wanted together with police constables, Ronald Opilo, Ronald Baganza and Edward Cherotich.
The four were being accused by Ssebulime’s sister Nakayita of murder contrary to section 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act and giving false information to a person employed in public service contrary to section 115 of the Penal Code Act.
Hatanga had ordered the suspects to appear before court on July 15 but Nantaba and the co-accused didn’t appear.
Ssebulime was gunned down in cold blood on March 24, 2019 at Nagojje trading center in Mukono district after Nantaba raised false alarm that he was trailing her vehicle on a motorcycle with intentions of harming her.
The deceased was arrested, handcuffed and dumped on a police patrol truck. He was later pulled off the truck and shot to death at close range.
When court first sat for mentioning of the case, only Corporal David Ssali, who admitted to have pulled the trigger, appeared before court. Nantaba had earlier on repeatedly ignored police summons to record a statement about the incident.
However, the DPP Chibita did not give reasons why the State had decided to lose interest in the case.
