The Court Martial sitting at Ntete village in Sembabule district has sentenced a UPDF soldier to 50 years in prison for murder and theft.
Private Paul Sserugo was convicted together with his colleague Matia Kawadwa after they pleaded guilty to the murder charges against them.
On Thursday, Sserugo and Kawadwa admitted the charges against them.
“I have heard the charges and I plead guilty,”Sserugo said.
Court Martial presided over by Col Sam Mugenyi heard that Sserugo and three others killed Sylvia Kemirembe and her casual laborer Raphael Walugembe both residents of Ntete village.
Prosecution told court that the duo in February last year, attacked a grocery shop at Ntete trading center in Nakasenyi Sub County in Sembabule District where they shot Kemirembe and Walugembe dead in the robbery.
They also shot dead Ibrahim Mwanje and Allen Komugisha of Kachera village in Rakai district as their gang terrorised greater Masaka areas.
The court chairman sentenced each of the two people to 50 years for each of the offences but said they would run concurrently.
“You are hereby sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 50 years for each offence but to be served concurrently,” Col.Mugyenyi said during the court session.
The army court also sentenced the duo’s accomplices including Simon Byakatonda and Julius Nsaba to 60 years imprisonment over the same offence but explained that the two had wasted court’s time by not pleading guilty yet there was incriminating evidence against them.
Col.Mugyenyi said that though Nsaba and his colleague had pleaded not guilty to the murder charges but evidence adduced before court by prosecution was enough to link them to the murders.
Prosecution had asked court to give the accused person a heavy punishment to deter others from taking part in such crimes.
However, Col Mugyenyi said that since Sserugo and Kawadwa did not waste courts time the punishment of 50 years imprisonment is appropriate. He warned security personnel against taking part in crimes because their primary role is to protect people and their property thus condemning Sserugo’s actions.
