Chameleone To Be Charged With Murder

Jose Chameleone

A soldier whose son was burnt to death at Jose Chameleone’s home is demanding for his arrest.

Jose Chameleone
Jose Chameleone

Maj. Benedict Kyamanywa who is fresh from the AMSOM Somali peace-keeping mission yesterday stormed the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP’s) office demanding for explanations why the file containing murder charges against the killers of his son; Robert Karamagi was closed without the killers being taken to court.

“The murder happened in 2012 during the time I was rushing to Somalia for the mission. The police told me that they were going to investigate and arrest the killers but to my shock when I went to Katwe Southern Regional Police headquarters where the case was reported, I was shocked to be told by officers there that the file had been closed and put away,” Maj. Kyamanywa said yesterday.

In his petition dated Feb 14, 2015 to the DPP and copied to the Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura, Kyamanywa asked the DPP to investigate circumstances under which this murder case file was closed by the police and if possible resurrect it for justice to be served.

“The people who saw my son being beaten and burnt are there and they recorded statements. Even those who participated in the killing also recoded statements admitting to have participated. Chameleone himself recorded a statement regarding this matter admitting that the murder took place at his home so I want to know on what basis the file was closed,” charged Maj. Kyamanywa.

Karamaji is alleged to have have set him self ablaze at Chameleone's house on December 26, 2012
Karamaji is alleged to have have set him self ablaze at Chameleone’s house on December 26, 2012

The file was registered at Katwe as KMP/E/01/2013.

Kyamanywa  says that a Senior Principal State Attorney Coroline Nabasa who had tried to frustrate the case during the time of the then DPP Richard Butera insisting that there was no case to answer but when he was transferred the officer took the opportunity to frustrate the case.

The Major who was in company of Detective Ronald Poteri from the office of the AIGP, later held a meeting with the DPP Justice Mike Chibita over his petition.

The DPP later told Journalists in a separate interview that he personally directed for the closure of the file some time last year after he perused it and found no strong evidence on which they could sustain the case in court.

“We had one witness we were supposed to rely on because he had confessed having witnessed what transpired but when we perused we realized that he had made three contradicting additional statements,”

“I have realized there was a big mistake which was committed by my officer because if we are to close the file, we normally call the victims’ relatives and explain to them the reasons why we are doing so and this was not done in this case. As the inspectorate, we prioritize victims because they are our witnesses so we make sure we talk to them to get information where we have gaps in investigation.”

The DPP said they have now decided to re-open the file following his interface with Maj. Kyamanywa.

He said the Major told there was another witness and an old woman who are willing to testify in this case and he (DPP) consequently advised him to go back to Police and bring that fresh evidence.

He said after Kyamanywa has brought his evidence, they will still look at it and reconsider the case.

Karamagi was found badly burnt at Chameleone’s home in December 2012 and he died shortly after being transferred to Mulago Hospital.

Since then the cause of his torture has remained a mystery.

About Post Author