The Judiciary has weighed in on the legality of re-arresting Hon Muhammed Ssegirinya after the High Court granted an order to bail him.
This follows another nasty incident that played out on Monday evening at Kigo Police Station after the Kawempe North MP Muhammed Ssegirinya was grabbed and arrested like a chicken thief.
Ssegirinya who had just signed his release papers at the Kigo Government Prison at 5 pm on Monday evening was ambushed outside by a team of 12 security operatives and bundled onto a silver drone.
The legislator exited the prison gates at 5:30 pm and entered Shamim Malende (his lawyer)’s white Prado. After moving a few meters from the prison, the drone appeared and started chasing after the car until he was plucked out.
His arrest comes just days after Makindye West MP Allan Ssewnyana was re-arrested outside the same prison in a similar style.
This trend has generated debate across all spheres with many people questioning the strength of a Court order, legality of the re-arrest and if this means the Judiciary system is becoming insignificant.
Judiciary Spokesperson James Karemani while interacting with our Court reporter Rashidah Nakaayi says the re-arrest of the legislators is not connected to the Judiciary.
Karemani says the Court played its role in granting bail to the suspects on other charges and security forces found new charges against them.
He explains: “The grant of bail doesn’t insulate someone from any other arrests. We have different players in the administration of justice, the Courts, Police, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and prisons including others. As court, our role is to receive cases from the DPP and Police and handle them according to the law. So when someone applies for bail, if it is deserving, we grant bail and the person is supposed to be released from prison. So after the person has left prison, they are now at large and free. However, if there is a re-arrest by Police, it means that institution is doing its work. If he has been re-arrested over a fresh charge, no one can object.”
Karemani says the Court’s image in prosecuting, sentencing and granting bail to suspects is still intact.
“You cannot say where does the image of court lie because the court did its work and other institutions must account as to why that person was rearrested. So we just hope that they will account by charging that person with the offence he has been arrested for. Two people out of so many cannot account to the mistrust of court. There are many people who have been released on bail even yesterday,” says Karemani.
Meanwhile, Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga has confirmed that Ssegirinya, just like the Makindye west MP Allan Ssewanyana, is in custody at the Special investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka on fresh charges of treason and inciting violence.
“We want to inform the public that Hon Ssegirinya has also been arrested on fresh charges of treason and inciting violence by the joint security task team of investigators. He has been transferred to SIU for further statement recording and action,” Enanga said.
Compiled by Rashidah Nakaayi
