FAKE INTEL! Court Convicts Two Ex-Kony Rebels Turned Spies Over Staged Munyonyo, Kalerwe Bomb Murders
The Convicts Lyavaala and Walusansa Appearing before the General Court Martial in Makindye.
By Our Reporter
The General Court Martial in Makindye has convicted two former security informers after they pleaded guilty to murdering two people in bomb incidents at Munyonyo and Kalerwe in June 2025.
Hamza Lyavaala and Walusansa Adiil were convicted on Monday after admitting two counts of murder arising from the deaths of Sumaya Byaruhanga at Munyonyo on June 3, 2025, and Azatu Sawiya at Kalerwe Market on June 21, 2025.
The court, chaired by General Court Martial chairman Brigadier Richard Tukacungurwa, heard that the two men were working as state informers monitoring activities of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) when they allegedly became involved in facilitating the operations.
Prosecution, led by Lieutenant Regina Nanzala, told court that the intelligence the two were passing to security agencies allegedly concealed their own involvement in the operations.
The two admitted the prosecution’s account of how the attacks were allegedly planned and executed and confirmed that the facts read to court were true.
Lyavaala and Walusansa are jointly charged with Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Byaruhanga, who has denied the allegations and is expected to face trial next week.
‘SUICIDE MISSION’
According to the prosecution, about three weeks before Martyrs Day, Byaruhanga allegedly convened a meeting at Goers Hotel in Namulanda along Entebbe Road.
The prosecution alleges that Byaruhanga, who was dissatisfied with his superiors — then Deputy Chief of Intelligence and Security Brigadier General Rugumayo and Director of Intelligence and Security Major General Otto — met Lyavaala and Walusansa and briefed them about a planned suicide mission.
Lyavaala allegedly agreed to find a woman to execute the mission.
Prosecution said Byaruhanga gave Walusansa money to rent a house, which he allegedly did at Kinawa in Natete, Kampala.
Lyavaala was allegedly given money to travel to Busoga in search of a woman for the mission. He allegedly contacted a man identified as Kassim, who brought Sumaya to him.
Lyavaala was then allegedly instructed to link up with Walusansa and Anthony Sekalala, whom prosecution alleges made the bombs with Byaruhanga’s knowledge.
The prosecution said the accused were briefed that the first operation would take place in Munyonyo on Martyrs Day and that Byaruhanga would inform Major General Otto about the operation.
MUNYONYO BLAST
On June 3, 2025, prosecution alleges that Byaruhanga drove Lyavaala and Walusansa to Munyonyo and told them he had requested officers from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT), who allegedly knew the operation was genuine and were expected to counter it.
Sumaya allegedly left the rented house carrying a bomb.
When she reached the agreed target area near Kagwa Bridge, close to Munyonyo Catholic Shrine, the bomb exploded, killing her at the scene.
Byaruhanga allegedly later invited police officers, who took over the crime scene.
About a week later, prosecution said Byaruhanga again contacted Lyavaala and Walusansa and asked them to find another suicide bomber.
KALERWE SECOND HIT
Kassim allegedly brought another woman, identified as Azatu Sawiya, who was taken for reconnaissance around Kalerwe, where the second operation was allegedly planned.
On June 21, 2025, Lyavaala allegedly had two bombs in his possession with Byaruhanga’s knowledge.
He was allegedly instructed to give one bomb to Sawiya and the other to Kassim.
Lyavaala allegedly instructed Sawiya that upon reaching Busega, she would board another motorcycle.
Prosecution said the accused were at the Kalerwe scene together with JATT officers, waiting for Sawiya to arrive.
When Sawiya reached Busega, Lyavaala allegedly alerted the JATT officers, who followed her.
Prosecution alleges that Sawiya was shot upon reaching Kalerwe Market and died at the scene. The bomb she was carrying was later detonated before police took over the scene.
DEATH PENALTY BID
The two men were subsequently arrested and arraigned before the General Court Martial on two counts of murder under Sections 171 and 172 of the Penal Code Act.
The first count relates to Sumaya’s death at Kagwa Bridge near Munyonyo Catholic Shrine in Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District, on or about June 3, 2025.
The second concerns Sawiya’s death at Kalerwe Market in Kawempe Division, Kampala, on or about June 21, 2025.
Prosecution alleges that both deaths were caused with malice aforethought.
After the facts were read and admitted, Lt Nanzala asked the court to impose the death penalty.
She argued that the deceased were innocent people who did not know what they were carrying and had allegedly been lured into the operations by the convicts.
Defence lawyer Major Simon Busagwa Nsubuga, however, asked the court to exercise leniency, describing his clients as family men capable of reform.
He told court that one of the convicts has six children and four wives, while one of his children has a heart condition requiring regular care from the parent.
BIRUNGI LINK QUESTIONED
The convictions have also introduced a new dimension into the wider security case involving Major General James Birungi, who was arrested in August 2025 and charged with treachery and other security-related offences.
Following Birungi’s arrest, reports circulated linking him to the Munyonyo and Kalerwe bomb incidents.
However, the facts presented and admitted in court on Monday identify Lieutenant Colonel Byaruhanga as the officer who allegedly organised the operations.
The prosecution alleges that Byaruhanga recruited Lyavaala and Walusansa, arranged for a woman to be brought from Busoga and facilitated the acquisition and use of explosives.
The admitted facts further state that the alleged objective was to attract the attention of Byaruhanga’s superiors, Brigadier General Rugumayo and Major General Otto, and convince them of the reliability of his intelligence information.
The prosecution’s account places Birungi outside the intelligence and security structure in which Byaruhanga was allegedly operating at the time of the bomb incidents, stating that Birungi had already been transferred to Mountain Division.
Birungi appeared in person before the General Court Martial on Monday in the separate case in which he faces treachery and security-related charges.
That case was adjourned to October 12, 2026, after the State said it was not ready to proceed because its witness is out of the country on official duties.
The same date has been fixed for the sentencing of Lyavaala and Walusansa, who have been convicted on their own pleas of guilty.
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