Judge sets Wednesday for crunch sentencing of ‘monsters’ in Susan Magara murder

What the report says

The High Court in Uganda is due to sentence nine people on Wednesday after their conviction over the kidnap and murder of businesswoman Susan Magara. According to Nile Post, Justice Alex Mackay Ajiiji set the date after hearing final submissions from prosecutors, defence lawyers and members of Magara’s family on the punishment they believe is appropriate.

The prosecution urged the court to impose the death penalty, arguing that the attack was planned, violent and driven by ransom money. State attorney Joseph Kyomuhendo said Magara was abducted, tortured and killed after her family paid $200,000, and asked the court to consider confiscating property allegedly bought with ransom proceeds. He also identified Yusuf Lubega as a key planner and said another suspect, Lugoloobi, helped monitor Magara before the kidnapping.

Members of Magara’s family also asked for the harshest sentence, saying they continue to suffer from her loss. The defence, however, pressed for leniency, saying the convicts were first-time offenders and that sentencing should reflect each person’s level of involvement. It also argued that some were breadwinners and that lengthy prison terms would affect their families.

The case has been one of Uganda’s most closely watched kidnap-for-ransom prosecutions. The public record in the article says Magara was abducted in Kampala in 2018, held for days and later killed, but the current issue before court is the punishment for the nine convicted defendants.