Luwero-based social media personality Aggrey Magala, widely known to his followers as Mzee Magala, has escaped a life sentence after the Luwero Magistrate's Court handed him a fine of sh30 million in a long-running attempted murder case. The ruling, delivered by High Court Judge Esther Adikin, also requires the TikToker to pay another sh30 million in compensation to the victim, who was left permanently impaired by the violence that unfolded on his farm.
A Narrow Escape from Life Imprisonment
Justice Adikin acknowledged that the offence of attempted murder carries a maximum penalty of life behind bars. However, after weighing the mitigating factors presented in court, she opted for a fine of sh30 million or, in default, a three-year prison term. The judge agreed with Magala's legal team that he had not personally pulled the trigger during the incident, but she maintained that his conduct contributed to the violence in which Andrew Akandwanaho, a resident of Nakaseke district, was shot and permanently disabled.
The compensation order was structured to ease the burden on the convict. Magala is expected to pay sh10 million in cash immediately, with the remaining balance spread over a period of one year.
How the Legal Battle Began
The case traces back to a land dispute at Kanyale village in Nakaseke District. Magala had taken surveyors and armed guards to the farm to open up boundaries of a contested piece of land. The exercise turned confrontational when farm workers resisted the move, and the armed guards opened fire, leaving Akandwanaho injured. Magala was arrested on November 5 and has since been held at Butuntumula prison in Luwero.
A Season of Misfortune
While on remand, the social media personality faced yet another setback. Unknown arsonists set fire to his house at Bunyaka village in Luwero, reducing his household property to ashes. Magala has also spoken of plans to travel abroad for further diagnosis and treatment.
Speaking after the court session, Magala's lawyer, Christopher Baluku, welcomed the ruling, describing it as fair to both sides of the dispute.
The sentence brings a measure of closure to a case that has gripped followers of one of Luwero's most recognizable online figures, while leaving a family to cope with the lasting consequences of a confrontation that changed lives on both sides.
