The International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala has sentenced Sheikhs Yunus Kamoga, Siraje Kawooya, Muluta Mudde Bukenya & Fahad Kalungi to life imprisonment over terrorism for their involvement in the killing of Sheikh Mustapha Bahiga, Sheikh Abdu Kadhir Muwaya, Sheikh Hassan Kirya and attempting to murder Sheikh Harunah Jemba.

The sentence was read by three judges of High Court’s International Crimes Division just a few minutes past 4pm local time on Tuesday.

The judges ruled that the four had failed to use their leadership roles, thus dividing their followers.

Court also said the harsh sentence was commensurate with the gravity of the offence, adding that it would also send out a message to those who abuse their leadership positions.

Two other terrorism convicts were sentenced to 30 years in jail. The judges ruled that the trio had not held leadership positions — otherwise they would have got life imprisonment.

On Monday, Kamoga and five others were acquitted of murder and attempted murder of fellow Muslim clerics.

But the judges had upheld terrorism charges against the four clerics and two other muslims.

Defense lawyers had argued that the evidence on which Kamoga and five others were convicted was circumstantial and asked court to caution and dismiss the convicts.

But the judges dismissed this argument and denied the defence lawyers’ plea.

Eight others — Amir Kinene, his brother Hakeem Kinene, Abdul Rashid Sematimba, Hamza Kasirye, Twaha Sekitto, Rashid Jingo, Musa Isa Mubiru and George William Yiga — were cleared of all the charges.