Anthony Wameli, the head of the Legal Department of the National Unity Platform (NUP) has died, party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine has twitted.
“Very sad day! Just learnt of the untimely passing of our dear brother and Head of our Legal Team, comrade Wameli Anthony from the U.S. where he’s been admitted for treatment. Details will be provided in due course. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Bobi Wine wrote on Twitter.
Wameli, who has been battling on and off abdominal complications in the past few months, was diagnosed with colon cancer alias bowel cancer by the doctors at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts in the United States of America where he has been hospitalized since September 2021.
He was first admitted between June and July 2021 before was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
Stage four colon cancer occurs when cancer spreads to other tissue and organs such as the liver. It may also reach the lungs, the lymph nodes, or the lining of the abdominal cavity.
On September 10 2021, the Uganda Law Society-ULS named Wameli as the criminal defence lawyer of the year. The ULS Annual General Meeting also voted Wameli and Company Advocates, which employs eight Advocates as the law firm of the year.
Wameli, who has been a Pastor at Ebenezer Christian Fellowship in Kanyanya rose to the limelight in 2017 when he represented the suspects accused of murdering former Police Spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard Kenneth Erau and driver, Godfrey Mambewa.
He has been the legal representative of Jamilu Mukulu, the alleged head of the rebel Allied Democratic Forces(ADF) and former presidential candidates retired Lt. General Henry Tumukunde as well as Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
The former MP candidate for Namisindwa Bubulo East Constituency, also had instructions to represent hundreds of NUP currently supporters facing trial in the Makindye based General Court-Martial and suspects implicated in the murder of General Katumba Wamala’s daughter Brendah Nantongo and driver Harunah Kayondo.