The wife of a pastor in Jinja district has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison for her involvement in the aggravated trafficking of children and the murder of a four-year-old girl named Isabella Trinity Nakisuyi in 2021. Felisita Namaganda, aged 30, received her conviction on Thursday and was sentenced by the Jinja High Court under the authority of Justice Winfred Nabisinde.
Namaganda received a 30-year prison term for aggravated trafficking and life imprisonment for the murder. It is important to note that these sentences will be served concurrently.
Justice Nabisinde, while reading her judgment, explained that the evidence presented by the prosecution was substantial and demonstrated Namaganda’s active participation in the crimes. She described Namaganda’s involvement as calculated, intended, and brutal, reflecting a heartless individual unfit for society. The judge expressed hope that the sentence would serve as a deterrent for similar occurrences.
Background Information:
Namaganda and her husband, Pastor Joseph Serubiri of Deliverance and Healing Ministries Church in Kakira, Jinja district, were arrested in connection with the disappearance and murder of Nakisuyi in September 2021. Another suspect, Pastor Buyinza Isma Sekabira, also known as Israel, the senior pastor at Deliverance and Healing Ministries Church in Ganda, Nansana in Wakiso district, was later arrested after Serubiri claimed he was acting on Buyinza’s orders.
In August of the same year, Serubiri was sentenced to 30 years for aggravated child trafficking and life imprisonment for the murder of Nakisuyi after pleading guilty. In contrast, Namaganda and Sekabira denied the charges, leading to their prosecution.
Evidence Against the Accused:
Despite Namaganda’s denial of involvement in the kidnapping and murder, witnesses, including the child’s father, John Mulodi, stated that she was the last person seen with the child before her disappearance. The judge noted that since they lived in the same neighborhood, the child was familiar with Namaganda, and no one suspected any wrongdoing.
Serubiri’s confession that he shared his vision to sacrifice a child with Namaganda and her active assistance in the murder further implicated her. She also helped in disposing of the child’s remains.
The judge found Namaganda’s claim that she did not report the murder due to fear to be unconvincing, and the evidence from multiple prosecution witnesses, including a DNA analyst and pathologist, corroborated each other.
Pastor Buyinza Exonerated:
The court exonerated Pastor Buyinza of Deliverance and Healing Ministries Church in Ganda, Nansana, as witnesses failed to provide incriminating evidence against him. The evidence connecting Buyinza to the crimes was considered insufficient, and he was acquitted of the two offenses.
Parents’ Reactions:
The parents of the deceased, John Mulodi and Annet Nakisaasi, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, believing that justice had been served. They were deeply betrayed by Namaganda’s involvement, given the trust they had placed in her.
“I used to regard Namaganda as my elder daughter, and they got along well with Nakisuyi, but she betrayed her trust. The sentence is well deserving,” said Nakisaasi.