MP Ssegirinya, Ssewanyana to eat 2nd Christmas in prison

By Rachael Najjuma

5^th Dec 2022

National Unity Platform -NUP legislators Allan Ssewanyana and Mohammad Ssegirinya are to spend their second Christmas behind bars after the international criminal division court adjourned their case to February 20^th, 2023.

While appearing before the registrar of ICD Pamela Lamunu through video conferencing on Monday, the registrar informed them that the pre-trial could not proceed in absentia of the trial judge Alice Komuhangi and adjourned the case.

Lamunu has also issued a production warrant directing prisons to produce the accused in court physically in the next court proceeding.

On Monday, the state had to update the court on the preparations of the trial regarding this matter.

Shortly after the adjournment Samuel Muyizi the lawyer for the accused told the press that the state and prisons are delaying the process of getting justice for his clients, accusing prisons specifically of denying him a chance to see his clients who gave him instructions to file a petition in the constitutional court challenging the non disclosure of witnesses regarding this matter and also to sign on the required documents.

Prison authorities claim that they cannot allow any outsider to access prisons in fear of spreading Ebola and Covid19 something Counsel Muyizi calls a tactic to delay justice.

In the last court proceedings one of the lawyers of the accused who is now bed ridden Shamim Malende asked court to compel the resident state Attorney Richard Birivumbuka to disclose to her the documents to be used in the hearing of this case.

The accused that include Allan Ssewanyana, Mohammed Ssegirinya, Jackson Kanyike, John Mugerwa, Bull Wamala, Mike Sserwadda are charged on three counts of murder, attempted murder and terrorism charges allegedly committed in August 23, 2021, at Ssetaala and Ssenya villages in Kimanya-Kabonera division, Masaka City.