The High Court judge Alex Ajiji has dismissed an application by nine suspects in the Susan Magara murder trial seeking him to recuse himself from their case.
The suspects alleged that the judge had not ensured a fair hearing and had ignored their concerns about torture.
They claimed that the judge refused to grant access to their original medical documents from African Centre for Treatment and Torture Victims that carried out their medical tests which evidence they say is crucial in their case.
However, Justice Ajiji in his ruling while dismissing their plea to have him out of their case stated that the accused had not provided sufficient reasons for his recusal.
The judge stressed that justice is a two-way street, noting that the relatives of the victims are also seeking justice. He defended his handling of the trial, stating that he had adhered to the established procedures and was within his rights to disallow any questions during witness testimony that were deemed outrageous or potentially humiliating.
The court dismissed the request, and the next prosecution witness is set to testify. The trial will continue on September 11th, 2024.
The prosecution alleges that the nine accused kidnapped Susan Magara a former cashier with Bwedero Dairy Farm on February 7,2018, demanded a ransom, and later dumped her body in a Kampala suburb. The suspects deny the charges and are being tried from Luzira prison.
The suspects are Yususf Lubega, Hussein Wasswa, Muzamiru Ssali, Hajara Nakandi, Abubaker Kyewolwa, Mahad Kisalita, Hassan Kato Miiro, Ismail Bukenya and Musa Abbas Buvumbo.