By Ben Musanje
The Makindye Utilities Chief Magistrate’s Court has fixed 11 August 2026 to deliver its sentencing ruling for 30-year-old Quarish Yasin Lubowa Segirinya, a Kisekka Market mechanic convicted of vandalizing telecommunications infrastructure belonging to the American Tower Corporation (ATC).
Segirinya, who has been on remand at Luzira Prison since his arrest in May 2025, appeared before Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu, where he pleaded for a lighter sentence, saying he had learnt his lesson and would never engage in crime again.
The convict was recently found guilty on three counts of damaging and removing telecommunications installations contrary to Section 84 of the Uganda Communications Act, criminal trespass contrary to Section 282 of the Penal Code Act, and theft contrary to Sections 237 and 244 of the Penal Code Act.
In her judgment, Magistrate Kamasanyu ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
She found that Segirinya unlawfully entered the ATC telecommunications site at Namakonkome Hill near Matugga in Wakiso District on the night of 12 May 2025, where a generator powering the telecommunications installation had been vandalized.
The court heard that investigators recovered several generator components that had already been removed and packed in a sack, while other parts had gone missing. The prosecution successfully linked Segirinya to the crime scene after he was arrested inside the secured facility during the operation.
The magistrate ruled that the prosecution had proved all the ingredients required for the offences charged and convicted him on all three counts.
Following the conviction, the State Prosecution team, led by Dr. Abdul Salaam Waiswa from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) side, urged the court to impose a deterrent custodial sentence.
The State argued that telecom infrastructure vandalism remains widespread and poses a threat not only to infrastructure owners but also to the wider public that depends on uninterrupted communication services.
According to the prosecution, expert evidence presented during trial showed that generator parts worth Shs8.54 million were stolen from the site. The prosecution further submitted that ATC incurred approximately Shs36 million in additional penalties and operational losses arising from the vandalism.
The prosecution also informed court that Segirinya had previously been convicted in 2021 over similar offences before the then Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court and had only completed serving that sentence in November 2024, making him a repeat offender.
State prosecutors argued that the court should treat the previous conviction as an aggravating factor and sentence him under the provisions applicable to subsequent offenders, which provide for stiffer penalties.
They further submitted that evidence presented during trial showed that incidents of generator vandalism significantly declined after Segirinya’s arrest in May 2025, arguing that his continued incarceration had indirectly contributed to improved reliability of telecommunications services.
The prosecution therefore prayed for the maximum custodial sentence permitted by law without the option of a fine, saying such punishment would deter other would-be offenders from targeting critical national communications infrastructure.
The State also asked court to order Segirinya to compensate ATC Shs8.54 million, being the value of the damaged and stolen generator parts, as permitted under the Uganda Communications Act.
In addition, prosecutors requested court to issue directions regarding a motorcycle recovered during Segirinya’s arrest. They told court that investigations had failed to identify its lawful owner, while the convict denied any knowledge of it. The motorcycle remains at Buwambo Police Station, and the prosecution asked court to determine whether it should be disposed of in accordance with the law.
During mitigation, Segirinya, who represented himself throughout the proceedings, admitted wrongdoing and appealed for mercy.
He told court in Luganda that since his arrest on 15 May 2025, he had reflected on his actions and realized his mistakes.
“I was used and later abandoned,” he said, adding that he had learnt a painful lesson while on remand.
The mechanic pleaded with the court to consider that he is a father of three children whose education has been disrupted since his imprisonment.
He described himself as the family’s sole breadwinner and said his prolonged detention had left his family in financial distress.
Segirinya promised the court that if granted another opportunity, he would never return to criminal conduct.
He asked the court to impose the lightest sentence possible, saying that should he ever commit another offence in future, he would accept whatever punishment the law prescribed.
Before making his mitigation, Segirinya had initially requested a week’s adjournment, saying he wanted time to reorganize himself and prepare for the next stage of the proceedings.
He also told court he wished to review aspects of the evidence, including issues relating to exhibits that had been produced during trial.
However, State Attorney Dr. Waiswa opposed the request, arguing that the application was merely another attempt to delay the conclusion of the case.
The prosecutor submitted that mitigation does not require lengthy preparation and urged court to proceed immediately, warning that repeated adjournments would unnecessarily prolong proceedings.
Magistrate Kamasanyu declined to grant the week requested by the convict but allowed a brief adjournment before eventually hearing his mitigation.
After receiving submissions from both the prosecution and the convict, the magistrate reserved her decision and adjourned the matter to 11 August 2026, when she is expected to deliver the sentencing ruling.
Segirinya remains on remand at Luzira Prison pending the court’s decision.
