Mathew Kirabo convicted of murder in absentia

The High Court in Mukono has convicted Matthew Kirabo, in absentia, for the murder of his girlfriend Desire Mirembe Jemima, a former Makerere University Medical student.

According to Justice Henry Kaweesa Isabirye, a careful study of all the evidence from all the parties shows that the case was a love story gone wrong.

Kirabo has been unanimously convicted of first-degree murder. Judge Kaweesa said that the sentence will be made after Kirabo’s arrest.

The judge relied on the advice from court assessors who said in their report, that all the evidence in place showed that the accused had masterminded the murder of Desire Mirembe.

Emmanuel Musoke, who is the father to Kirabo’s victim said that he is excited and happy with the ruling.

“I do find that the circumstantial evidence before me is well corroborated. It shows that for a fact this was a sad story of love gone sour. These two love birds developed relationship challenges and the girl sought counselling and in the process, they agreed to meet and resolve their differences, and according to the evidence, this never came to be. The last time the two met was on that fateful night. Events that followed that meeting let to the death of Desire Mirembe. The mystery that followed the meeting was however, revealed by the evidence on record and this evidence to me as has been offered by the prosecution has no other possible explanation or hypothesis, save that which is being offered by the prosecution that it’s Matthew Kirabo who killed Desire Mirembe. In that conclusion, I therefore, find that prosecution proved their case  beyond reasonable doubt that it’s Kirabo Matthew who participated in this offence of murder. I therefore, find him guilty of this charge and hereby convict him,” the judge said on Monday as he delivered the verdict.

The gruesome murdered occured on July 10 and 11, 2015, Kirabo murdered Mirembe in Lugazi, Kawolo, and dumped her body in a sugar cane plantation.