The General Court Martial in Makindye has convicted two former security informers after they pleaded guilty to two counts of murder arising from separate bomb incidents in Munyonyo and Kalerwe in June 2025.
Hamza Lyavaala and Walusansa Adiil admitted the prosecution’s account of their alleged involvement in the operations that resulted in the deaths of Sumaya Byaruhanga in Munyonyo and Azatu Sawiya at Kalerwe Market.
The two were convicted on Monday by the military court chaired by Brigadier Richard Tukacungurwa.
According to the prosecution, Lyavaala and Walusansa were at the time working as state informers monitoring activities of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), but allegedly used their positions to facilitate the attacks instead of providing genuine intelligence to security agencies.
Army prosecution, led by Lieutenant Regina Nanzala, told the court that the two men were involved in planning and executing the operations and subsequently accepted the facts presented against them.
The first incident occurred on June 3, 2025, at Kagwa Bridge near Munyonyo Catholic Shrine, where Sumaya Byaruhanga died after an explosive device she was carrying detonated.
The second incident occurred on June 21, 2025, at Kalerwe Market in Kampala, where Azatu Sawiya was shot and killed after allegedly arriving at the location carrying a bomb.
The prosecution’s account links both incidents to Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Byaruhanga, who is jointly charged with Lyavaala and Walusansa but has denied the allegations. He is scheduled to face trial over the same charges.
Lt Nanzala told the court that about three weeks before Martyrs Day, Lt Col Byaruhanga allegedly held a meeting with Lyavaala and Walusansa at Goers Hotel in Namulanda along Entebbe Road.
The prosecution alleges that Byaruhanga, who was dissatisfied with his superiors at the time, then Deputy Chief of Intelligence and Security Brigadier General Rugumayo and Director of Intelligence and Security Major General Otto, briefed the two informers about a planned suicide operation.
According to the facts admitted by the two convicts, Lyavaala agreed to look for a woman who could be used to carry out the operation.
The prosecution said Byaruhanga gave Walusansa money to secure a house, which he allegedly rented at Kinawa in Natete, Kampala. Lyavaala was also allegedly given money to travel to Busoga to look for a woman.
The court heard that Lyavaala contacted a man identified as Kassim, who allegedly brought Sumaya to him.
Lyavaala was then allegedly directed to work with Walusansa, who knew the location of the rented house, and Anthony Sekalala, whom the prosecution accused of making the explosives with Byaruhanga’s knowledge.
The prosecution said the men were informed that the first operation would take place in Munyonyo on Martyrs Day and that Byaruhanga would notify Major General Otto about the planned operation.
On June 3, 2025, the prosecution alleged, Byaruhanga drove Lyavaala and Walusansa to Munyonyo and told them that he had requested officers from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT) to respond to the operation.
According to the prosecution, Sumaya later left the rented house carrying an explosive device. When she reached the area agreed upon as the target near Kagwa Bridge, close to Munyonyo Catholic Shrine, the device exploded, killing her.
The prosecution further alleged that Byaruhanga subsequently called police officers to the scene, after which they took control of the area.
About a week later, the court heard, Byaruhanga allegedly contacted Lyavaala and Walusansa again and instructed them to approach Kassim for another woman to participate in a second operation.
Kassim allegedly brought Azatu Sawiya, who was taken around Kalerwe for reconnaissance before the second operation was planned.
On June 21, 2025, Lyavaala was allegedly in possession of two explosive devices with Byaruhanga’s knowledge. He was allegedly instructed to give one to Sawiya and the other to Kassim.
The prosecution said Lyavaala instructed Sawiya that she would board another motorcycle after reaching Busega.
Lyavaala, Walusansa and JATT officers were allegedly positioned at Kalerwe awaiting Sawiya’s arrival.
When Sawiya reached Busega, Lyavaala allegedly alerted the JATT officers, who followed her. She was subsequently shot when she arrived at Kalerwe Market and died at the scene.
The explosive device she was carrying was later detonated, after which police took over the scene, according to the prosecution.
Lyavaala and Walusansa were subsequently arrested and charged before the General Court Martial with two counts of murder under Sections 171 and 172 of the Penal Code Act.
The first count relates to the death of Sumaya, which the charge sheet states occurred on or about June 3, 2025, at Kagwa Bridge near Munyonyo Catholic Shrine in Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District.
The second count relates to Sawiya’s death, which the charge sheet states occurred on or about June 21, 2025, at Kalerwe Market in Kawempe Division, Kampala.
The prosecution alleges that both killings were committed with malice aforethought.
After the facts were read out, Lyavaala and Walusansa confirmed to the court that they were true and entered pleas of guilty.
Lt Nanzala asked the court to impose the death penalty, arguing that the victims were innocent and were allegedly drawn into the operations without knowing the nature of what they had been asked to carry.
Defence lawyer Major Simon Busagwa Nsubuga asked the court to exercise leniency, describing the convicts as family men who could be rehabilitated.
He told the court that one of the convicts has six children and four wives, while one of his children suffers from a heart condition and requires regular parental care.
The convictions have also brought fresh attention to the wider security case involving Major General James Birungi, who was arrested in August 2025 and charged with treachery and other offences relating to national security.
Following Birungi’s arrest, reports emerged linking him to the Munyonyo and Kalerwe bomb incidents.
However, the facts presented by the prosecution and admitted by Lyavaala and Walusansa on Monday identify Lt Col Byaruhanga as the officer who allegedly organised and coordinated the two operations.
According to the prosecution, Byaruhanga recruited the two informers, facilitated the search for a woman from Busoga and allegedly arranged for explosives to be acquired and used in the operations.
The prosecution further alleges that the operations were intended to draw the attention of Byaruhanga’s superiors, Brigadier General Rugumayo and Major General Otto, to his intelligence work and convince them to cooperate with him.
The prosecution’s account also states that Major General Birungi was no longer within the intelligence and security structure in which Byaruhanga was allegedly operating at the time of the incidents, having already been transferred to Mountain Division.
Birungi appeared in person before the General Court Martial on Monday in the separate case in which he faces charges of treachery and other security-related offences.
The court adjourned the proceedings to October 12, 2026, after the prosecution said it was unable to proceed because one of its witnesses is outside the country on official duties.
The same date has been fixed for the sentencing of Lyavaala and Walusansa, who were convicted after pleading guilty to the two murder charges.
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