Ssegirinya wanted by Buganda road court over fresh charges

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court has issued a production warrant to Kigo prisons to present Kawempe North Member of Parliament, Muhammad Ssegirinya to answer fresh charges of inciting violence. The October 13th, 2021 summons signed by Doreen Olga Karungi, the Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate directs Kigo prison authorities to present Ssegirinya in court on October 15th, 2021 at 9 am.

The Director of Public Prosecution, Jane Frances Abodo has consented to the fresh charges. The prosecution alleges that between August and September 2020 while in Kampala, Ssegirinya alias Mr Update made statements on his Facebook page, “Ssegirinya Muhammad Fans Page”, calculated to incite the public to participate in violence against a section or group of Ugandans.

He is quoted to have posted, “I am warning those who are trying to assassinate Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu that what will happen will be forty times worse than the 1994 Rwandan genocide”.

Kyagulanyi is the leader of the National Unity Platform, Uganda’s youngest political party. He was the first runner up in the January 14th, 2021 polls. The production warrant comes at the time when Ssegirinya and his Makindye West counterpart, Allan Ssewanyana are battling among others charges of murder, attempted murder and aiding and abetting terrorism stemming from their alleged involvement in the greater Masaka region machete killings, which claimed more than 20 lives between July and September 2021.

The two were arrested on September 7th 2021, charged in court and remanded to Kigo prisons. Despite being granted bail by Masaka High Court Justice Victoria Nakintu Katamba on September 20th 2021, they were re-arrested in separate incidents from the precincts of Kigo prisons.

Early this week, the two legislators through their lawyers filed fresh bail applications. However, Justices Nakintu Katamba and Lawrence Tweyanze abstained from hearing their bail applications citing the complexity of their case files.

Ssegirinya has other unresolved charges of inciting violence pending before Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court in connection to his demonstration near Mini Price in March 2021 demanding the release of all political prisoners arrested in connection to the general elections.

*****

URN