The Nakawa Chief Magistrate, Ruth Nabaasa has directed that the frail Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament-MP, Francis Zaake be released immediately.
This comes after an application filed by Zaake’s lawyers led by Eron Kiiza and Abdullah Kiwanuka for his unconditional release.
Zaake was arraigned before the Mityana Chief Magistrate, Elias Kakooza on charges of acting in a manner likely to spread infectious disease when he decided to defy presidential directives and distribute food to his constituents.
Nabasa says that the ill legislator was illegally detained beyond the mandatory 48 hours, which violates various constitutional rights.

She, therefore, demanded that the Attorney General, Inspector General of Police, and the Commandant of Special Investigations Unit of Police to release Zaake immediately.

They told the court that their client has been under detention without charge since his arrest on April 19th, 2020.
They also argued that Zaake was hospitalized at the Iran Uganda Hospital under tight police watch despite his sickness, and was denied access to any other person but his wife, Bridget Namirembe.

During the hearing, the Attorney General’s representative, Johnson Natuhwera opposed the application, saying Zaake is hospitalized and not in police custody as claimed.

He also argued that the government’s intention wasn’t to keep Zaake in custody beyond 48 hours since the charges against him had already been sanctioned by the DPP but he fell sick.

However, Kakooza directed that the MP be transferred immediately to a Medical Facility until such a time when he is fit to plead to the charges.

Zaake’s lawyers Abdullah Kiwanuka, says the ruling by the Nakawa Chief Magistrate means that their client will not plead to the charges in Mityana magistrate’s court.