Ssewanyana, Ssegirinya allege State is framing them
The Masaka Grade One Magistrate’s Court has finally committed National Unity Platform MP’s Allan Ssewanyana and Muhamad Ssegirinya to the High Court for trial.
The duo is currently jailed at Kigo Government Prison on charges of attempted murder, murder and terrorism in relation to killings in the Greater Masaka Region. They have been in custody alongside nine others for over six months now since their arrest in September 2021.
Masaka Grade One Magistrate Christine Nantege committed MP’s to the High Court after the State concluded its amendment of the charge sheet to include the a confession by one Wilson Ssenyonga pinning the MP’s as masterminds to the murder of John Bwanika.
Masaka Resident Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka, says Ssenyonga in his Charge and Caution statement on court records,reveals that he and other people still at large held a meeting with the two MP’s at Happy Boys-Ndeeba near Kabaka’s Lake in Kampala to plan the killings as a way of sending a message to the government that they were robbed of their 2021 general elections victory.
Ssenyonga alias Tony Nyonga claims Bwanika, a resident of Kisseka B village in Lwengo district was among those killed on the orders of the duo.
However, the MP’s have trashed the allegations as a strategic ploy by the State aimed at framing and destroying them.
Allan Ssewanyana, the Makindye West MP and Ssegirinya, the Kawempe North MP told court via Zoom technology that they have never seen or held any a meeting with Ssenyonga.
“The State first told us that the man is Kitalya on murder charges , now they claim he has been in for questioning at police, that man doesn’t even know us , he has never met us your Worship, If you look at him well, he can hardly express himself, he is a set up . If you asked him to show his National Identity Card now you would realize that it was doctored,” said
Ssewanyana ,Ssegirinya allege State is framing them
Elias Lukwago, their lawyer doesnt differ in opinion, He explained to journalists outside Court that the evidence on file is incoherent to the particulars of the offences that the suspects are accused of. He, however, adds that they going to agree on the way forward to seek fairness for their clients.
lead lawyer to the two accused MPs added that even with the committal after a long period of investigations, the state failed to do adequate disclosure of the offences against the accused persons to enable them properly prepare their defence.
According to him, the conduct of the State Attorney is an indication that the evidence on file is incoherent to the particulars of the offences that the suspects are accused of. He, however, adds that they going to agree on the way forward to seek fairness for their clients.
“The particulars to the summary of the case are still wanting, because they allege that Ssenyonga who has been added on the charge sheet today executed the murder of Bwanika and the masterminds are the MP’s and its not clear how he did it whether the victim was strangled or hacked, how much was he hired to do the crime, they also claim he was arrested on 2nd August 2021 after the crime,Where has he been all along and why wasn’t he charged since he confessed, Why bring the masterminds before the actual killer?,”Lukwago questioned
The State however asserts that they have evidence including CCTV footage and data from Ssenyonga’s mobile telephone pinning all the accused persons including MPs at the same meeting location.
The two MPs and nine other suspects were also earlier committed to the High Court on charges of aggravated murder and terrorism, which were also committed in the Masaka sub-region between July and August last year.
