High Court Orders Judicial Inquest into 2018 Killing of Opposition Driver Yasin Kawuma
ARUA, UGANDA — The High Court in Arua has ordered a judicial inquest into the fatal 2018 shooting of Yasin Kawuma, the driver of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, ruling that the circumstances surrounding his death demand an independent fact-finding inquiry in the interest of justice.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, Justice Harriet Grace Magala directed that the Chief Magistrate of the Arua Chief Magistrate’s Court conduct the inquest into Kawuma’s execution by Special Forces Command (SFC) commandos. The killing occurred nearly eight years ago during the Arua Municipality parliamentary by-election campaigns.
The ruling stems from an application filed by Kawuma’s widow, Alice Mwesigwa, who sought court orders compelling the Minister of Internal Affairs to appoint a coroner to investigate the killing. The court granted the request, determining that a formal inquiry is necessary to establish the full facts of the incident.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether the SFC soldiers who were seen committing the act will be paraded in court during the inquest proceedings. Further details on the timeline and scope of the magistrate-led investigation are yet to be disclosed.
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