{UAH} Kamoga speaks out on terror conviction
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Kamoga speaks out on terror conviction
- Written by BAKER BATTE LULE
Eight days after his conviction and August 22 sentencing to life in jail for terrorism, Tabliq leader Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga yesterday said he is very happy with the ruling of the three justices of the International Crimes division [ICD] of the High court.
Speaking to The Observer in an exclusive interview in Luzira Maximum prisons, Kamoga said much as he may spend the rest of his life in prison, if his intended appeal is unsuccessful, he can now sleep soundly because he has been cleared of murder.
"I can now sleep soundly because the world has known that it is not Muslims killing Muslims like the state wanted us to believe," Kamoga said.
Although he beat the murder charge that attracts a maximum sentence of death, the judges ruled that there was undisputed evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Kamoga and five others engaged in terrorism activities.
In their ruling, justices Ezekiel Muhanguzi, Percy Tuhaise and Jane Kiggundu acquitted Kamoga and 13 others of the murder of sheikhs Hassan Kirya in 2015 and Mustapha Bahiga in 2014 and the attempted murder of Dr Haruna Jjemba.
However, they pinned the convicts on terrorism-related charges. The judges accused the convicts of engaging in non-developmental religious wrangles.
But Kamoga said yesterday he wasn't surprised at all by the ruling.
"They have always wanted to imprison me," he said. "That is why they had to come up with such a laughable case of terrorism. How do you arrest me for killing Bahiga then charge me with killing Kirya who was killed while I was in prison and the attempted murder of Jjemba yet I was in prison and again turn around and convict me on terrorism that arose from the three offences? It's laughable."
Dressed in a yellow short-sleeved shirt and shorts (prison uniform) with a cap and spectacles, a jovial looking Kamoga said his only crime was to speak truth to power.
"I have always spoken my mind to those with power in this country. My crime is to try and bring back unity in the Muslim community in this country, which some people didn't like because they benefit from these differences," Kamoga said.
"I really don't care even if it means dying from here. I will continue to speak the truth…These are earthly judges who are influenced to give the sentences they give but there is one judge, the Almighty Allah, who can never be influenced by anyone," he added.
Kamoga urged the Muslim fraternity to use his conviction as a springboard for unity and peace.
"Our people should remain united because that is the only way we can confront the problems facing our community," Kamoga said.
Sheikh Siraje Kawooya, also sentenced to life imprisonment, said all Ugandans must condemn both their conviction and sentence.
"When we were in court, Judge Muhanguzi kept telling the state attorney not to bring up issues related to Muslim wrangles. He told her to restrict herself to murder. We were surprised that the same wrangles were used to convict us," he said.
Kawooya added that it was absurd that the state resorted to fictitious charges to keep them in prison.
"We are here because of politics not because we killed anybody or we are terrorists. The state wants us here because we said we don't want to work with them. Our mission was only our religion nothing else," Kawooya said.
"We must fight to overturn this verdict; it is dangerous to this country. People will be found guilty of terrorism simply because they have fallen out with their colleagues. No one is safe if this precedent is left to stand," Kawooya said. He said from the word go, the state wanted to convict them.
"We have people here who have confessed to killing people but they are not treated the way we were treated. Some have even been granted bail while we were denied bail as if we are the most dangerous people this country has ever had," he said.
Kawooya was, however, happy that court acquitted them of murder and attempted murder.
"Amidst all these injustices we are happy that at least court ruled and rightly so that we didn't kill anybody," he said.
Last week, court found six people, including Kamoga, his brother Sheikh Murta Mudde Bukenya, Sheikh Siraje Kawooya, Sheikh Fahad Kalungi, Yusuf Kakande and Abdulsalam Sekayanja, guilty of terrorism and sentenced the first four to life in prison and the other two respectively to 30 years imprisonment.
SECURITY
Before entering the condemned section of Luzira Upper prison, this writer endured a string of body searches.
At the gate, I was asked to show a valid identity card before being allowed to proceed to a waiting area where prison warders took the details of visitors including names, address, telephone number and the name of the prisoner I wanted to see.
At this stage, I got a visitor's card, and a chit showing the names of prisoners I was supposed to see. I was also asked to leave behind my telephone before proceeding to the main gate. I was later ushered into a room where another thorough body search was conducted before I walked through a metal detector.
Inside the gate, I jumped on a boda boda to take me to the expansive facility that is home to some of Uganda's hardcore criminals.
At the gate of the Upper prison, there are two quarter guards. At the first quarter guard, I was asked to show my national identity card. At the second, I left all my possessions including money, and papers.
In the next room, my visitor's ID details were captured digitally including my address and relationship with the prisoner.
From this table, the same details are captured manually. A rigorous body search is done at this point. It is at this point that this writer's pen, paper and national identity card were retained.
After, I was ushered into a room where Kamoga and the other convicts were waiting for their visitors. In this room, there were three prison warders standing not very far away from us.
Previously, prisoners would interact freely with their visitors but now they are separated by a thick glass and communication is by telephone. My [Intercom] conversation with Kawooya and Kamoga lasted about 20 minutes before a prisoner warder tapped me on the shoulder and said; "Ssebo, time is up give room for other visitors."
bakerbatte@observer.ug
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