By Hillary Nsambu and Ali Mambule
Kampala business tycoon Godfrey Kato-Kajubi personally participated in killing a-12-year-old boy in a ritual murder last year, court heard yesterday.
Masaka witchdoctor Umar Kateregga alias Bosco told the High Court, sitting in Masaka, that Joseph Kasirye was murdered in his house on October 27, 2008.
Kajubi is being tried for the murder of the boy, whose head was chopped off.
Kateregga and his wife Mariam Nabukeera had initially been jointly charged with Kajubi, but in a dramatic turn of events, the court dropped charges against them and instead made them state witnesses.
Narrating the macabre crime to the court, presided over by Justice Moses Mukiibi, Kateregga said: Kajubi ordered a man he had come with in a car, whom he referred to as Stephen, to cut off the childs head.
He said Kajubi helped Stephen collect the blood in a plastic basin which they got from their car.
Listening to Katereggas chilling testimony, some women in the courtroom wept.
Earlier, the judge had ordered children under 18 to leave. A boy who remained in the courtroom, left immediately on hearing the testimony.
Kateregga said Kajubi had asked him to look for a child to employ on his poultry farm in Gayaza near Masaka.
Kateregga said he picked on Kasirye because he was needy and he thought he would be helping him improve his lot since he was not going to school either.
I asked the boy whether he was willing to work, the boy agreed and I told him to stay in my home where Kajubi would get him, Kateregga testified. He said he did not inform the boys parents of the plan.
Kajubi rang me at midnight asking whether I had found a boy and a replied that I had, he said.
He added: After an hour, Kajubi arrived at my home. Later, he called Stephen out of the car and ordered him to bring a metal box that contained a knife and a plastic basin that was used to collect the blood.
According to Kateregga, Kajubi brought them drinks and snacks that included beer, soda and samosas, which they enjoyed. He gave some to the boy.
Kateregga, a resident of Kajugi in Mukungwe sub-county in Masaka district, said as they dined, he heard his wife scream and saw the boy collapse while drinking soda. At this point, Kajubi asked the court to allow him sit down, citing a bad leg. However, as Kateregga narrated how the child was murdered, Kajubi jumped to his feet and stared hard at him.
The judge asked him why he did so yet he had a bad leg.
A smiling Kajubi said he wanted to see clearly what was going on, sending the packed court into laughter.
The judge ordered Kateregga to come out of the witness box and said he was free to look into Kajubis face.
Continuing with his testimony, Kateregga said when the boy collapsed, Kajubi put a gun on his neck and ordered him not to speak. I got terrified and I sat down.
Kateregga asserted that when his wife tried to stand up, Kajubi also ordered her to remain seated.
It was at this stage that Kajubi called out Stephen to bring a metal box, plastic basin and a small jerrican, he said.
Kajubi ordered Stephen to take Katereggas wife out through the back door.
I dont know what happened outside, Kateregga said.
He added that Kajubi ordered Stephen to cut the boys neck while he was still unconscious and helped him put the body upside down to allow the blood drain into the plastic basin. I was looking on all the time, Kateregga said.
He said Kajubi apologised for his actions.
Kajubi called me and said: Mulangira, as he used to refer to me, you were not supposed to see all this in your house, but forgive me. I am building my security.
The hearing continues.
Kampala business tycoon Godfrey Kato-Kajubi personally participated in killing a-12-year-old boy in a ritual murder last year, court heard yesterday.
Masaka witchdoctor Umar Kateregga alias Bosco told the High Court, sitting in Masaka, that Joseph Kasirye was murdered in his house on October 27, 2008.
Kajubi is being tried for the murder of the boy, whose head was chopped off.
Kateregga and his wife Mariam Nabukeera had initially been jointly charged with Kajubi, but in a dramatic turn of events, the court dropped charges against them and instead made them state witnesses.
Narrating the macabre crime to the court, presided over by Justice Moses Mukiibi, Kateregga said: Kajubi ordered a man he had come with in a car, whom he referred to as Stephen, to cut off the childs head.
He said Kajubi helped Stephen collect the blood in a plastic basin which they got from their car.
Listening to Katereggas chilling testimony, some women in the courtroom wept.
Earlier, the judge had ordered children under 18 to leave. A boy who remained in the courtroom, left immediately on hearing the testimony.
Kateregga said Kajubi had asked him to look for a child to employ on his poultry farm in Gayaza near Masaka.
Kateregga said he picked on Kasirye because he was needy and he thought he would be helping him improve his lot since he was not going to school either.
I asked the boy whether he was willing to work, the boy agreed and I told him to stay in my home where Kajubi would get him, Kateregga testified. He said he did not inform the boys parents of the plan.
Kajubi rang me at midnight asking whether I had found a boy and a replied that I had, he said.
He added: After an hour, Kajubi arrived at my home. Later, he called Stephen out of the car and ordered him to bring a metal box that contained a knife and a plastic basin that was used to collect the blood.
According to Kateregga, Kajubi brought them drinks and snacks that included beer, soda and samosas, which they enjoyed. He gave some to the boy.
Kateregga, a resident of Kajugi in Mukungwe sub-county in Masaka district, said as they dined, he heard his wife scream and saw the boy collapse while drinking soda. At this point, Kajubi asked the court to allow him sit down, citing a bad leg. However, as Kateregga narrated how the child was murdered, Kajubi jumped to his feet and stared hard at him.
The judge asked him why he did so yet he had a bad leg.
A smiling Kajubi said he wanted to see clearly what was going on, sending the packed court into laughter.
The judge ordered Kateregga to come out of the witness box and said he was free to look into Kajubis face.
Continuing with his testimony, Kateregga said when the boy collapsed, Kajubi put a gun on his neck and ordered him not to speak. I got terrified and I sat down.
Kateregga asserted that when his wife tried to stand up, Kajubi also ordered her to remain seated.
It was at this stage that Kajubi called out Stephen to bring a metal box, plastic basin and a small jerrican, he said.
Kajubi ordered Stephen to take Katereggas wife out through the back door.
I dont know what happened outside, Kateregga said.
He added that Kajubi ordered Stephen to cut the boys neck while he was still unconscious and helped him put the body upside down to allow the blood drain into the plastic basin. I was looking on all the time, Kateregga said.
He said Kajubi apologised for his actions.
Kajubi called me and said: Mulangira, as he used to refer to me, you were not supposed to see all this in your house, but forgive me. I am building my security.
The hearing continues.
