In a somber courtroom in Kampala, John Fitz Gerald Magara, the father of Susan Magara, a Bwendeiro Dairy Cashier who was kidnapped and brutally murdered five years ago, has shared his harrowing testimony. This emotional account revealed the depths of a parent’s desperation and determination to save their child.
Susan Magara’s abduction and tragic end occurred on February 28, 2018, and her father, a 58-year-old businessman with a presence in both Hoima and Kampala, found himself taking the witness stand as a crucial prosecution witness in the case involving nine individuals charged with kidnapping for ransom and the murder of his daughter.
The accused individuals, Abas Buvumbo, Yusuf Lubega, Hussein Wasswa, Muzamiru Ssali, Hassan Kato Miiro, Hajara Nakandi, Abubaker Kyewolwa, Mahad Kasalita, and Ismail Buckeye, are facing grave charges related to the abduction and murder of Susan Magara.
Given the sensitivity of the case and potential security threats, John Magara requested that his current place of residence and image remain undisclosed in the media to ensure the safety of his family.
John Magara’s ordeal began on February 7, 2018, when he received the distressing news of his daughter’s kidnapping. The kidnapper, who communicated in Runyoro, demanded an astronomical ransom of US$1 million for her safe return.
In the agonizing days that followed, negotiations with the kidnappers proved incredibly challenging. The kidnappers flatly refused the family’s initial offer of 100 million Ugandan Shillings and agreed to accept only a reduced sum of US$50,000.
Susan Magara herself spoke with her mother, appealing for the ransom money and urging her family to comply with the kidnappers’ demands.
Ultimately, a settlement was reached, with the family agreeing to pay a ransom of US$200,000. The kidnappers issued specific instructions for the ransom delivery, instructing John Magara to drive his wife’s car along Masaka Road.
However, law enforcement was tipped off about the situation. When John Magara reached Mpigi, the kidnapper directed him to pick up a phone at the “Welcome to Mpigi” signpost, where further instructions would be provided. Police intervention foiled this attempt.
On February 17, 2018, the kidnapper made another call, instructing John Magara to take Bombo Road up to Mattuga, where he would receive further directions on where to drop the ransom. Once again, police intervention prevented the completion of the ransom delivery.
Two days later, the kidnapper contacted John Magara and directed him to go to Hass Petro Station in Namasuba along Entebbe Road to retrieve a message or package from their daughter, Susan Magara. This time, the family chose not to involve the police, believing that complying with the kidnappers’ instructions would ensure her safe return.
The family successfully delivered the US$200,000 ransom as instructed, and John Magara anxiously awaited his daughter’s return. However, his hopes were tragically shattered.
On February 28, 2018, he received a call from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, instructing him to identify a body with two missing fingers.
John Magara went to the scene in Kigo, along the Entebbe-Express Highway, where he heartbreakingly confirmed that the lifeless body was that of his beloved daughter, Susan Magara. On March 1, 2018, Susan was laid to rest in Hoima.
Throughout the trial, audio clips were played in court, revealing conversations between the kidnapper, Susan Magara’s mother, and John Magara. These recordings demonstrated the kidnapper’s threats and the emotional turmoil inflicted upon the family during this ordeal.
The background of this tragic case reveals an alleged kidnap-for-ransom scheme orchestrated by the accused individuals, some of whom remain at large. Susan Magara was the first victim of this heart-wrenching scheme.
The prosecution’s case contends that Susan was abducted in Lungujja and held captive for three agonizing weeks while the kidnappers negotiated a staggering US$1 million ransom with her family.
Tragically, after receiving US$200,000 of the ransom money, the prosecution alleges that the kidnappers murdered Susan Magara and disposed of her body in Kitiko.
Investigations unveiled that Susan had overheard conversations between Hajara Nakandi’s visitors while in captivity, prompting the kidnappers to decide her fate in a meeting at Usafi Mosque.
Fearing their identification and arrest, they chose to silence Susan by suffocating her with a polythene bag, ensuring she couldn’t reveal their identities.
The prime suspect, Patrick Kasaija, also known as Agaba or Pato, had previously faced charges related to the abduction of Joan Cora Alupo, but the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Now, nine individuals remain on trial in the Susan Magara case, as justice continues to seek closure for a grieving family and a nation deeply touched by this tragic story.
