The Buganda Road Magistrate Court was filled with tears of sorrow on Monday morning after the presiding Magistrate issued a production warrant for ailing Kawempe North Legislator, Mohammed Ssegirinya.
The embattled MP, who already faces murder and terrorism charges in connection to the greater Masaka machete murders, is also battling another case of inciting violence for statements he uttered using his Facebook fans page.
Ssegirinya is currently admitted at Mulago Referral Hospital in a critical state where he was admitted two weeks ago from Luzira Murchison Bay Prison.
Buganda Road Court Magistrate, Doreen Karungi, today adjourned the matter to December 2, 2021 after the MP failed to appear and demanded that the bedridden MP be produced in court by then to answer to the charges levied against him.
Court, which started at 11:21am, was full to capacity with the aggrieved relatives of Ssegirinya in attendance to hear his bail application. The State Prosecutor, Joan Keko, told the Court that investigations are complete but couldn’t proceed without the defendant.
His lawyer, Shamim Malende, beseeched the court to adjourn for 20 minutes to allow for her client to be produced via Zoom technology but her Worship Karungi denied her plea saying the same court was time strapped and had other matters to attend to.
The Magistrate further ordered prison management to produce him on December 2, 2021 regardless of an objection from his lawyer that the set date was far away.
In a burst of tears, Ssegirinya’s mother caused a scene when she raised her hand in the Court chambers asking for audience to speak but she wasn’t given a chance. The grieving mother continued to mourn outside the court, dragging herself in the dirt while yelling bitterly against her son’s justice. In her usual rhetoric,she begged President Museveni to pardon her son and show mercy saying Ssegirinya deserved to receive good medical treatment immediately.
His lawyer Malende says the MP is getting better and was able to attend the hearing today via zoom technology although he was denied the chance to do so in Court.
Meanwhile ,the Prosecution in another case implicating Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Segirinya has completed investigations and is ready to proceed to the High Court for trial. The duo face charges of murder, attempted murder, terrorism, and abetting terrorism in connection to the Masaka murders.
Rashidah Nakaayi
