Africa-Press – Uganda. High Court in Masaka is scheduled to hear the bail application for MPs Allan Ssewanyana of Makindye West and Muhammad Ssegirinya of Kawempe North tomorrow (October 21).
Last week, the new Masaka High Court judge, Lawrence Tweyanze declined to hear the MPs’ bail application on grounds that the first application was heard by a different judge.
He instead asked another judge, Victoria Nakintu to handle the bail application because she presided over hearing of the initial application.
But Nakintu referred the matter to the Principal Judge, Dr Flavian Zeija for guidance.
In a letter dated October 13 which Daily Monitor has seen, Dr Zeija wrote to Justice Tweyanze guiding that, “The purpose of this letter is to allocate to you the above mentioned case file for fixing and hearing of the bail application.”
Among the grounds the MPs’ lawyers listed for bail include serious illness, inadequate medical attention in prison where they were remanded, having fixed places of abode and that they are willing to abide by the bail terms, among others.
Prosecution slapped seven criminal charges against the MPs and others alleging that they participated in the recent spate of killings in the Greater Masaka sub region between the months of July and August this year. Close to 30 people lost their lives in the attacks which happened mostly during the night.
On September 23, Mr Ssewanyana was released from Kigo prison upon fulfilling the bail terms but was arrested at the prison gate, forced into a security van infamously referred to as a drone.
Four days days later, Mr Ssegirinya was also rearrested in the same manner after being released on bail. They were later jointly charged with another count of murder allegedly committed in Kisekka Sub County in Lwengo District.
Mr Musa Matovu, one of the MP’s lawyers from Lukwago and Company advocates said: “We have been frustrated on securing the hearing date for the bail application but we hope that our MPs will get justice on Thursday.”
