The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A Psychologist, Sister Jane Francis Nantamu has told Court in Kampala that Brian Bagyenda, a pharmacist on trial for murder needs psychotherapy treatment from a conducive environment rather than prison.
Bagyenda is charged alongside Innocent Bainomugisha, a Cleaner and a Casual Laborer Vincent Rwahwire, for murdering Enid Twijukye, a student at Makerere University Business School close to four years ago. The deceased reportedly had an intimate relationship with Bagyenda before he ended her life.
Sister Nantamu, the third Defence witness said that she was approached by Bagyenda’s mother in April 2017, to counsel her son who was likely to harm himself. She adds that during her visits to Prison, where Bagyenda was detained, she established that he was suffering from severe depression.
Nantamu said that Bagyenda had self-dejection, looked pale and was always angry towards himself adding that he exercised general confusion which was revealed by low self-esteem and lack of clear goals.
Nantamu, a lecturer at Uganda Martyrs University said that she gave Bagyenda ten counselling sessions but couldn’t do much to help him since the environment in Luzira was not good for his condition.
During cross-examination, the State Prosecutors led by Joseph Kyomuhendo asked Nantamu if she had been paid to conduct the report and services given to Bagyenda. The Prosecutors also asked her to tell the court if Bagyenda had told her what had caused him depression. But her response could not point to a particular event or incident.
However, Nantamu the told court that Bagyenda’s depressive conditions appear to have deteriorated adding that he needs psychotherapy outside the jail as she had earlier recommended in her report on November 8, 2017.
Nantamu’s testimony now marks the end of Bagyenda’s defence having earlier presented two other witnesses; his brother Arnold Asiimwe and Dr Brian Mutamba whom he chose to rely on to prove that he was mentally unstable at the time he committed the crime.
The court will resume on January 22 for final submissions in the case before judgment date is fixed.
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