Court upholds 50-year sentence for murderer

A man named Muhangi Obed has been ordered to serve a 50-year prison sentence for murdering his friend’s wife, Arinaitwe Jaduresi, in June 2010.

Muhangi had convinced Arinaitwe’s husband, Yoram Bwozi, to allow him to take her to a traditional healer in Mbarara for treatment of a stomach ailment. However, Muhangi’s true intentions were sinister, and he ultimately killed her.

Muhangi’s sentence was handed down by High Court Judge David Matovu in 2014, but he appealed, claiming the sentence was excessive. Three Court of Appeal Justices; Eva Luswata, Oscar Kihika, and Dr. Asa Mugenyi, unanimously dismissed his appeal, citing a lack of merit and ordering him to continue serving his 50-year jail sentence.

According to court records, Muhangi asked Bwozi to collect coffee beans and 200,000 shillings for the traditional healer’s treatment, and later requested an additional 2,000,000 shillings. Bwozi handed over the money to the appellant, but when he returned to Mbarara, he couldn’t find his wife or Muhangi. A search ensued, and he was eventually arrested and confessed to the crime while in police custody.

Written by Ruth Anderah