Johnson Kamya Wavamunno, a young brother to tycoon Prof Gordon Wavamunno survived the gallows and came out of prison after fathering a child from there, an act very rare to prison inmates and convicts.
Wavamunno and two co-accused persons were committed to death row for robbing a Barclays bank bullion van on February 29, 1999, after a three-year trial.
Kamya and his two co-accused persons committed the offence in 1996 and were all found guilty as accused and convicted to death by justice Constance Byamugisha Kategaya (RIP).
Wavamunno got a lease of life when constitutional court in the Susan Kigula appeal of 2006 ruled that if a death sentence was not carried out within three years, the prisoner is automatically commuted to life imprisonment which is 20 years.
For yet unknown reasons the prison authorities, after the elapse of 20 years minus remissions and the two convicts were set free, save for Kamya who was given a bonus of extra three years a period of which as lodger, he was in incognito way not even known to prison officers fathered a child while still in prison.
We have exclusively found out that Kamya in these extra three years in Maximum Bay Prison at Luzira was given position as leader of the HIV inmates.
“Kamya using this position was allowed to be accompanied by prison warders to go to Mulago referral hospital whenever need arose to pick medicine and other medical equipment for his fellow inmates”, a source with the prison unanimously told www.alternativeuganda.org publication.
“At times, he was sick or would pretend to be sick and asked for a referral letter to be treated to Mulago referral hospital and would at night connive with prison warders guarding him, he would sneak out of the hospital at night and visit a concubine who was selling small merchandise in a kiosk around this hospital; the lady got pregnant and fathered Kamya’s baby while he was still in prison, “added the source.
In 2022, Kamya came out of prison secretly and was picked by his relatives.
Prison authorities deny the allegations
When asked for a comment, Frank Baine the Prison Spokesperson denied that Kamya’s fathered a child while in prison.
“This is a complete lie, it is not possible because we have strict laws guiding inmates, but when he was about to complete his sentence, we informed his family who organized to pick him,” Baine said.
Before his death, another Kamya’s elder brother Pidson Wavamunno told this publication that he had heard of Kamya’s fathering a child from prison but had no details.
“That information of my young brother Kamya fathering a child is not new to me, but I am not able to tell whether our child is a boy or girl,” wait I will give you details when I go to Mbarara our home area and get details,” Pidson Wavanunno said. Unfortunately, Pidson died shortly before revealing this information and our efforts to reach Kamya has not been fruitful.
But later we got another source from Kamya’s distant relative from Mbarara who told us that after leaving prison he had a thanksgiving ceremony at Saints Church in Mbarara in a service presided over by Rev. Emmanuel Munyeneza.
“I was missing my children. Worse still, my wife died while I was in jail. My children studied through hardships, though they managed to make it to university, I have no plans to marry at 60,” the source quotes a remorseful Kamya humbly said.
Background of the case
Prosecution successfully alleged that Kamya, Samuel Bonde Mwesigwa and a soldier Pte Paddy Baryeijuka on February 29, 1996 at Kitooro, Entebbe, murdered a police Constable, only identified as Wedulo, and robbed money belonging to Barclays Bank.
Prosecution led by Charles Ogwal Olwa (RIP) contended that Kamya and others sway-laid a vehicle registration number UPM 327, killing the said policeman and making away with $249,000.
“Wavamunno, Mwesigwa and Bareijuka, there is only one sentence after your conviction prescribed under the law. I accordingly sentence you to suffer death on each count in a manner authorized by the law,” Judge Byamugisha ordered.
By; Siraje Lubwama,
Senior Investigative Journalist in crime, court land matters, human Rights.
Freelance Journalist, with Alternative Digitalk