Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana sent back to jail

Masaka Grade One Magistrate Christine Nantegge peered impassively from the bench only to see that the state prosecutor, Mr Richard Birivumbuka, was absent from court and so she was compelled to adjourn the matter to January 5, 2022.

The MPs’ lawyer Ms Shamim Malende asked for the court’s indulgence in explaining what should be done in the event that the state prosecutor does not show up for court hearing. 

Ms Malende, who is also Woman Member of Parliament for Kampala District and Shadow minister for Justice, also revealed to court that she believes her clients’ lives are at risk as they have not been allowed access to private medical care despite a court order to the prisons authorities allowing them to go to Nsambya, Mengo or Lubaga hospital to access specialized treatment.

Ms Malende said the prison authorities continue to bar her from accessing her clients, and thereby denying the two MPs of due process. Whenever she goes to Luzira prison to look for Hon. Ssegirinya, she’s routinely told that he is back at Kigo. 

Then, when she goes to Kigo, she is told that he is at Luzira. 

“We are at least now relieved on seeing them that they are both at Kigo prison but access to them is still hard we need the court to issue orders to prisons authorities to allow us and their parents to access them and let prisons allow them also access private medical facility as the court had earlier ordered because the court cannot try a dead person,” she said.

The Presiding Magistrate said she had taken Ms Malende’s queries under advisement but would wait for the prosecution to respond.  

“The order issued by court has to be served to prisons authorities the other reasons raised by the defense are pertinent issues which the prosecution has to be given an opportunity to respond before the court can rule on the same, the matter is adjourned to January 5, 2022,” Magistrate Nantegge said.