The General Court Martial sitting in Makindye has sentenced two state informers to suffer death after being convicted in participating in stagging two fake bombs in Kampala last year.
Hamza Lyavala and Hadil Walusansa were on Wednesday sentenced to death after the army court chairman, Brig Richard Tukacungurwa ruled that court ought to give a deterrent sentence to the convicts and a warning to other would be offenders.
“Hamza Lyavala and Hadil Walusansa directly participated in the fake suicide missions and after the first one, they devoutly accepted to participate in the second one at Kalerwe market. The death sentence is therefore justified,” Brig Tukacungurwa said.
“This court therefore sentences you Lyavaala Hamuza and Hamid Walusansa to suffer death for the two offences of murder.”
Background
The prosecution, led by Lt Regina Nanzala, told court that Lyavala and Walusansa were working as state informers providing security agencies with intelligence on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), but allegedly became involved in facilitating operations that resulted in the deaths of two people.
The victims were Sumaya Byaruhanga, who died in an explosion near Munyonyo on June 3, 2025, and Azatu Sawiya, who was killed at Kalerwe Market on June 21, 2025.
The two were jointly charged with Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, the former commander of special operations in CMI who has maintained his innocence and after the duo pleading guilty, they were used as state witnesses to pin him
According to the prosecution, about three weeks before the Munyonyo attack, Lt Col Byaruhanga, who was allegedly dissatisfied with his superiors, met Lyavala and Walusansa at Gowers Hotel in Namulanda along Entebbe Road.
At the time, Brig Gen Abdul Rugumayo was Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, while Maj Gen Richard Otto was Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security and Byaruhanga reported to them.
The prosecution alleges that Byaruhanga wanted the planned attacks to attract the attention of his superiors and make them believe in intelligence he was providing.
According to the allegations admitted in court, Byaruhanga briefed Lyavala and Walusansa about a suicide mission being planned. Lyavala allegedly agreed to find a woman to carry it out, while Walusansa was given money to rent a house in Kinawa, Nateete, where the group stayed as preparations were made.
Byaruhanga also allegedly gave Lyavala money to travel to Busoga to find a woman for the mission. Lyavala contacted a person identified as Kassim, who brought Sumaya.
The prosecution said the accused were linked to Anthony Ssekalaala, who allegedly made the bombs with Byaruhanga’s knowledge.
The first operation was planned for June 3, 2025, during Martyrs Day activities.
The prosecution said Byaruhanga drove Lyavala and Walusansa to Munyonyo and told them he had alerted officers from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT), who believed the intelligence about the planned attack was genuine and were expected to respond.
Sumaya subsequently left the rented house carrying an explosive device. She reached an agreed location near Kagwa Bridge, close to Munyonyo Catholic Shrine, where the device exploded, killing her.
The prosecution said Byaruhanga subsequently invited police officers to the scene, where they took over the investigation.
About a week later, the prosecution alleges, Byaruhanga contacted Lyavala and Walusansa again and instructed them to find another woman for a second operation.
Kassim allegedly brought Sawiya Azatu, who was taken around Kalerwe for reconnaissance as preparations for the second attack continued.
On June 21, 2025, the prosecution said Lyavala was in possession of two bombs and, allegedly with Byaruhanga’s knowledge, gave one to Sawiya and another to Kassim.
The prosecution said Lyavala instructed Sawiya to travel towards Busega before changing motorcycles, while the accused and JATT officers waited for her to reach the targeted area.
When Azatu reached Busega, Lyavala allegedly alerted the JATT officers, who followed her to Kalerwe.
Azatu was shot when she reached Kalerwe Market and died at the scene. The bomb she was carrying was subsequently detonated before police took over the scene.
The prosecution said the investigations established that the operations were intended to create fear among the public and destabilise the country.
