The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has revealed a foiled assassination plot targeting former Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura, orchestrated by militants affiliated with the Tablic sect in Uganda.
According to the ODPP, four individuals—Okuku Sadam Umalu, Osinya Colline, Ojambo Joseph, and Lwanga Abudala—were implicated in the theft of two AK-47 rifles and ammunition from Nakudi Police Post in Namayingo District, eastern Uganda, between May and June 2016.
The plot was uncovered after gunshots were reported at a resident’s home in Sirowa Village, prompting a police operation that led to the arrest of the accused. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to stealing the firearms with intentions to rob and eliminate individuals perceived as obstructing the Tablic sect’s mission, including Gen Kale Kayihura, Captain Okumu (DPC Namayingo), and the RDC.
At the time, Gen Kayihura had intensified security operations against suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorists following the assassination of prosecutor Joan Kagezi in March 2015. Several suspects linked to Kagezi’s murder, including John Kibuuka, John Masajjage, Dan Kisekka, and Nasur Abdullah, were subsequently apprehended and charged.
The string of mysterious murders in Namayingo, Bugiri, and Mayuge districts in 2015 prompted President Museveni to visit the affected areas personally. Notably, the ODPP disclosed that the same criminals involved in the assassination plot had confessed to additional crimes, including the theft of a police gun in 2015 and its subsequent use in various robbery attempts.
In a plea bargain arrangement, the accused pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment by Justice Andrew Bashaija, with the terms running concurrently. The ODPP, represented by Chief State Attorney Mr. Kyomuhendo Joseph, facilitated the legal proceedings.
