Akena’s belongings found with Kanyamunyu – Prosecution Witness

Mathew Kanyamunyu and Cynthia Munwangari while appearing before High Court
Mathew Kanyamunyu (left) and Cynthia Munwangari while appearing before High Court in Kampala on 8th January, 2020.

Kampala, Uganda | URN | The brother of Kenneth Akena who was shot dead in November 2016 has pinned the main suspect Joseph Kanyamunyu and his Burundian girlfriend Cynthia Munangwari in the alleged murder.

John Nyeko told court on Tuesday 4th, February 2020 presided over by Justice Steven Mubiru that he spent the entire day time with the deceased before his life was cut short on November 12, 2016.

Nyeko is the seventh prosecution witness to testify against Kanyamunyu, the director Quantum Express Logistics and Munangwari in the murder of child rights activist, Kenneth Akena.

According to Nyeko, they had planned to meet with Akena again in the evening at Kyadondo Rugby Grounds at around 6 pm. Nyeko says he arrived at Kyadondo at around 7:30 pm but Akena was nowhere to be seen. He decided to call him on phone but there was no response, which prompted him to start looking for him physically.

Nyeko told court that he later received a phone call from his other brother identified as Jordan indicating that Akena had been shot and was admitted at Nakasero hospital. According to Nyeko, he rushed to Nakasero hospital and found the gate locked and was only allowed in after identifying himself as Akena’s brother.

He explained that while at Nakasero hospital, Kanyamunyu asked him if he was the one who had called Jordan before he informed him of Akena’s condition, saying he had rushed the deceased to hospital as a Good Samaritan after being shot at Kyadondo.

Nyeko said he left Kanyamunyu and stormed into the emergency ward where he found two doctors attending to Akena. He explained that Akena who was still able to speak told him that the man who brought him to hospital, Kanyamunyu had shot him at Game Store parking space as he was trying to apologise for scratching his vehicle.

According to Nyeko, he was then taken to Wandegeya Police Division later where he recorded a statement together with the accused persons before returning to the shooting scene to search for Akena’s vehicle, which was still parked opposite Malik car bond.

He explained that when he returned to Nakasero Hospital, doctors informed him that they had concluded the first procedure to save Akena’s life and transferred him to Norvik hospital where he breathed his last a few hours later because their Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was filled to capacity.

Nyeko revealed that while at Norvik hospital, two gentlemen who identified themselves as Joseph and Moses approached him, saying they were willing to help Akena’s relatives to clear the medical bills and they exchanged contacts. He, however, said the men didn’t show up again after Akena was pronounced dead.

The witness disclosed that after Akena’s funeral, he was taken to police parades at Jinja road and Kira road police stations to identify the men he had met at the hospital. He was reportedly able to identify the accused persons and Akena’s belongings including keys, two mobile phones, and shoes that were reportedly recovered from Kanyamunyu’s car.

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Earlier on, Rose Kadde, a groundnut hawker and an eyewitness told court that while winding up her business on the fateful day, she saw a medium-sized man and woman from a Land Cruiser charging towards a man in a smaller car.

According to Kadde, she saw the accused persons lifting the man from the smaller car and placing him in their car but couldn’t understand what was going on.

Court adjourned the hearing to allow for other prosecution witnesses to testify in the matter. Prosecution alleges that on November 12, 2016 along Kampala-Jinja highway near Malik car bond, opposite the main gate of Uganda Manufacturer’s Association in Lugogo Nakawa Division, the accused persons shot dead Akena.

The accused pleaded not guilty, saying they only helped to rush the deceased to court when they found him injured.