Police on Wednesday arrested the prime suspect in the gruesome shooting of Bugiri cleric, Sheikh Masudi Mutumba who was killed last week.
Police Flying Squad operatives on Wednesday arrested Abiyasad Mugoya, a supervisor at SGA private security company for pulling the trigger leading to the death of Sheikh Masudi Mutumba, 60, the Iman for Iwemba Mosque in Iwemba parish, Iwemba sub-county in Bugiri district who was shot dead as he returned home from prayers at around 9:45 pm on Friday.
Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga confirmed the arrest but he had earlier said that the killing stemmed from a land wrangle that the deceased had with one Suleiman Kouta from Busimba village and that the deceased had won a civil suit in Bugiri high court, prompting the other side to appeal in a higher court but decided to eliminate him for fear of losing the appeal. He noted that the group later held a meeting in their home and planned the murder by hiring a private security guard from Kampala to help them finish off the Imam.
According to some of the detectives privy to the investigations and subsequent arrest of the suspects during the family members were stuck on how to eliminate Sheikh Mutumba because they didn’t have anyone who could do it for them.
“However, one John Gyagenda told his fellow family members that he knew of someone who is part of their extended family living in Kampala who could help them orchestrate the plan,” the source told the Nile Post.
Following the meeting, Gyagenda one drove his Toyota Ipsum, registration number UAP 435W to Kampala where he picked Mugoya to go and carry out the mission and return shortly.
Mugoya was a supervisor for SGA guards at Uganda Martyrs University in Rubaga and it was easy for him to leave the station for Bugiri.
Investigators have also been told that at his beat in Rubaga, Mugoya had reported one of the guns as having been stolen under mysterious circumstances.
“However, the truth is that the gun was not missing but Mugoya had it and went with it to Bugiri to carry out the mission,” the source added.
Mission pulled off
On Friday, Gyagenda picked Mugoya from Kampala and drove him to a certain bush where he was picked by a boda boda rider before trailing Sheikh Mutumba as he returned home.
The deceased’s 10-year-old child said he had seen an unknown person trailing them but never bothered to find out who he was and that when they reached home, the Imam received a call and when he went out for better network, he was shot in the head before the assailant took off.
The Imam was shot in the head and died instantly according to investigators.
Meanwhile, the boda boda rider then transported the assassin from the scene of crime to another rendezvous where he was later picked by Gyagenda and drove him back to Kampala at his work station.
“Because the mission was done swiftly, Mugoya managed to return to his beat and roll calls showed he was around,” the source said.
Mugoya was also able to hide the gun where it was recovered on Wednesday.
The arrest
Following the arrest of several family members after the gruesome shooting, these pinned a boda boda rider who had transported the assassin to and from the crime scene.
The hunt then led to the arrest of both the boda boda rider and Gyagenda who had also hired the assassin.
On interrogation, he told detectives how the mission was planned and said Mugoya had pulled the trigger prompting them to look for him(Mugoya).
The Flying Squad operatives later drove with Gyagenda to Kampala so as to track Mugoya.
Meanwhile, Gyagenda on Tuesday tricked Mugoya that there was another mission that he wanted them to carry out and asked him to come so they could travel together.
On Wednesday, Mugoya was arrested at the Total fuel station opposite Uganda House, along Kampala road as he prepared to board as taxi to Kamuli to another mission with Gyagenda.
They have since been transferred to Bugiri where the crime was committed from.
The Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga on Wednesday described it as a straight forward case of murder.
“This is a premeditated and straight forward case of murder, with personal conflict due to land wrangles, as the motivation. The task team is now focusing on the facts and physical evidence, to clearly bring out the roles played by each of the suspects,”Enanga said.
He noted that the Inspector General of Police, John Martins Okoth Ochola has applauded the task team that ensured the suspects are apprehended.
