Two employees remanded over murder of co-worker

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two employees of Dembe Trading Enterprises Limited are on remand for murdering their colleague Mahad Mohammad. They are Uwera Zia Murekatete, a manager at Dembe Trading Enterprises Limited and the head of security Gideon Odeke, residents of Mbuya and Bukerere in Kampala and in Goma division in Mukono municipality respectively.

The accused appeared before the Nakawa Grade One Magistrate Ponsiano Odwori to get an update on the progress of the investigations in the case against them. The prosecution told the court that on March 16th, 2022, Uwera, Odeke and others still at large with malice aforethought, caused the death of Mahad Mohamad at Dembe Trading Enterprises Limited in Bugolobi, Nakawa division, Kampala district.

The deceased was a driver in the distribution firm. Odwori didn’t allow the accused to plead to the charges, saying his court lacks the jurisdiction to try capital offences. He advised them to apply for bail in the high court, which has the power to try them if they so wish.

The prosecutors led by Eunice Mbaine told the court that investigations in the matter were still ongoing. The magistrate remanded the duo to Luzira prison until April 26th 2022, when they will return for the mention of their case.

Preliminary findings from Jinja-Road Police Division show that prior to his death, the company directors quizzed Mahad about missing merchandise worth Shillings 2 million. When he failed to explain, the directors handed him to security guards who pounced on him like angry lions.

Last month, the Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said that Mahad was unconscious by the time police were called in and died upon arrival at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

The Chairman General of the National Organization of Trade Unions-NOTU, Usher Wilson Owere has since called upon the government to take action against Dembe Trading Enterprises, saying that they top the list of companies that harass their employees in the country.

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