Court directs prisons authorities on the health of MPS Ssewanyana & Ssegirinya

Kawempe North Member of parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya and his Makindye West counterpart Allan Ssewanyana have Wednesday requested that the court reigns over security agencies to stop the violation of their rights.

While appearing separately before the Chief Magistrate Charles Yeitese and Masaka Grade One Magistrate Grace Wakooli for further mention of murder and terrorism charges, and the amendments in their earlier charge sheet respectively, the MPs told the court that their fundamental rights have been abused while in custody and that they have suffered physical torture as military operatives rearrested them shortly after they were released on bail from Kigo prison.

Ssegirinya showed blisters in his palms which he claimed were sustained in a scuffle that ensued during his rearrests, while Ssewanyana walked with difficulty; a condition he also told Court was caused by the inhumane treatment subjected to him by security operatives.

The Makindye West legislator also told Court that he had been denied specialized treatment for Hypertension and Hemophilia which he said had progressed while in detention.

He, therefore, asked the court to order the prison authorities to provide them with specialized medical attention and most preferably be allowed access to private medical specialists to appropriately attend to their conditions before they worsen. 

Lawyer Shamim Malende in her submission indicated that the MPs were brutally rearrested by military personnel who manhandled them and accordingly inflicted physical injuries on them.

She then asked the court to prevail over the security agencies to stop disrespecting legal processes as well as refraining from any human rights violation while executing their duties.

However, the prosecution led by Richard Birivumbuka, the Masaka Resident Chief State Attorney, in an amended charge sheet, presented fresh charges of murder against the two MPs, bringing the total number of offenses against them to seven.  

The duo is jointly charged alongside seven other suspects who are also on remand in Kigo and Kitalya prisons.

Birivumbuka told Court that the duo participated in the murder of Joseph Bwanika,  a resident of Kankamba village, Kisekka sub-county in Lwengo district after they allegedly raided the deceased’s home on the night of August 2, 2021.

The Masaka Chief Magistrate Charles Yeitese remanded the duo to Kigo prison on the fourth count of murder up to October 15 and instructed the prison authorities to ensure that the MPs access the required medical attention.