Arrest them; Judge orders for the arrest of Matthew Kirabo’s sureties if he is not produced in court next week

Sureties and lawyers have been directed to produce Matthew Kirabo before Justice Henry Kaweesa Isabirye for trial, for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Desire Mirembe.

Justice Kaweesa issued an arrest warrant for Kirabo last week after the State Attorney Happiness Ainebyoona asked the court to cancel Kirabo’s bail and issue a warrant of arrest for skipping court, one of the requirements for his bail application.

Kirabo’s lawyer Charles Dalton Opwonya appeared in court on Wednesday and argued that he does not know the whereabouts of his client, but requested additional time to trace Kirabo and bring him to court.

Opwoya told the court that they are making all efforts on trying to secure him and bring him to court. However, State Attorney Happiness Ainebyona asked the court to compel the sureties to pay a bond of 50 million shillings and if they fail, they are arrested.

The sureties include the mother Imelda Wabulembo, Bernard Mbayo, the uncle, and Nelson Wabulembo.

Justice Kaweesa agreed with the prosecution and ruled that Kirabo’s sureties and lawyers be given one week to produce the suspect in court or pay 50 million Shillings and be arrested.

“The two sureties will produce the accused. Failure to do so you will pay 50 million shillings and as well as be arrested till he is brought to court” Justice Kaweesa said.

Kirabo allegedly murdered his girlfriend Mirembe who was 19 years old at the time, on July 10, 2015, and her body was on July 11, 2015, recovered from a sugarcane plantation in Lugazi-Kawolo, Buikwe District. Kirabo reportedly confessed to the murder. 

He was then charged at Jinja Chief Magistrates Court with murder and remanded at Nalufenya prison in Jinja, but Court granted him bail on November 24, 2016, which enabled him to finish his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine.

However, the case was later moved to Mukono High Court on the instructions of the then Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine after the state complained that the crime had been committed in the Mukono jurisdiction.

On October 6, the High Court in Mukono started hearing the case after 6 years. This followed complaints from the family and concerned members of the public for justice.