In a dramatic turn of events, Hamza Lyavaala and Adiil Walusansa, two former security informers, have decided to stick to their guilty pleas in the alleged fake bombs case. The case, which dates back to June 3, 2025, involves two staged bomb operations in Kampala that resulted in the deaths of three people. The two informers appeared before the General Court Martial in Makindye on Monday, October 26, and told the court that they wanted to maintain their admissions of guilt.
Lyavaala and Walusansa had earlier asked the court to allow them to withdraw their pleas after testifying against their co-accused, Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Byaruhanga. However, during the court proceedings, Lyavaala told the court that he had wanted to give further evidence during sentencing, while Walusansa also confirmed that he wished to retain his guilty plea. The court, chaired by Brigadier Richard Tukacungurwa, maintained their pleas and set November 2, 2026, for sentencing.
The alleged fake bombs case involves two incidents that occurred in June 2025. The first incident occurred on June 3, 2025, when an explosive device detonated near Kagwa Bridge, close to Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine, during Martyrs Day celebrations. A woman identified as Sumayiya Byaruhanga and a motorcycle rider died in the incident. Weeks later, on June 21, another woman, Azatu Sawiya, was shot dead by security operatives at Kalerwe Market while carrying a purported explosive device, which was subsequently detonated.
Prosecutors allege that the incidents were staged to create fear among the public and the state. During earlier court proceedings, Lyavaala accused Byaruhanga, a former director of special operations in military intelligence, of recruiting him and Walusansa to organise the alleged operations. Lyavaala claimed that Byaruhanga wanted to attract attention from his superiors amid disagreements within the intelligence establishment.
Byaruhanga has denied the charges and is yet to have the allegations against him determined through the court process. The case has also drawn attention to former military intelligence chief Major General James Birungi, who was arrested in August 2025 during a separate but related investigation into alleged fabricated intelligence reports and security-related offences. Birungi denies the allegations.
Lyavaala also alleged in court that he was pressured to implicate Birungi during interrogation. Those claims remain allegations. With the two informers now maintaining their guilty pleas, the next major development is their sentencing, scheduled for November 2. According to the Court Martial Chairman, the maximum sentence for the crime is death.
The case has raised concerns about the extent of manipulation within Uganda's security and intelligence agencies. The court's decision to maintain the guilty pleas of Lyavaala and Walusansa will likely have implications for the ongoing investigations into alleged security-related offences. The case is set to continue on November 2, when the two informers will be sentenced.
Key points
- The two informers, Hamza Lyavaala and Adiil Walusansa, have chosen to maintain their guilty pleas in the alleged fake bombs case.
- The case involves two staged bomb operations in Kampala that resulted in the deaths of three people.
- The maximum sentence for the crime is death, and the two informers are set to be sentenced on November 2, 2026.
