Authorities from the Uganda Prisons Service have said that they have not received a document from the responsible court to release Members of Parliament Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West) and Muhammad Ssegirinya (Kawempe North) from prison.
Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine said on Tuesday morning that until court writes to them, the two lawmakers will not be released.
“As far as I know their sureties are supposed to first pay the money the court ordered them to pay, after payments, they will acquire the general receipt which they will take to court and we shall receive the production warrant but currently we have not gotten any orders,”Baine revealed.
On Monday the High Court in Masaka granted bail to the duo who attended court via zoom from Kigo Prison.
Their lawyers Elias Lukwago and Shamim Malende informed the court that their clients are suffering from grave illnesses which include Hypertension and complications of the kidney and liver, which cannot effectively be managed inside prisons.
The lawyers also informed the court that the two are law-abiding citizens with no criminal record and are distinguished leaders with fixed places of abode. They also presented substantial sureties and these included -Mityana Municipality legislator Francis Zzake, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemuju, Francis Katabaazi-MP Kalungu East, and Christine Nandagire, Bukomansimbi North MP.
Although Masaka Resident Chief Attorney Richard Birivumbuka opposed the request of the defence side alluding that granting bail to the two MPs would compromise the ongoing investigations because some of their alleged accomplices are still at large, Masaka High Court Judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba downplayed his objections and granted the accused a cash bail of Shs20 million for each.And each of their sureties also bonded on Shs100 million non-cash.
The two were also instructed to surrender their passports to the International Crimes Division of the High Court, where they will also be reporting twice every month.
The accused MPs were arrested on September 7th and arraigned before Masaka High court on charges of murder and attempted murder based on the recent killings in the greater Masaka area and they were remanded to Kigo prison in Wakiso district.
The prosecution alleges that the two MPs physically participated and connived with other people to execute the murders with intents to intimidate the public for political, religious, social, or economic gains. Last week the state again slapped two more charges on them; terrorism and abetting terrorism.
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