Bail hearing of jailed NUP MPs starts

High Court in Masaka has kickstarted the bail hearing of the jailed National Unity Platform party lawmakers Allan Ssewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya.

At the ongoing session, the Leader of Opposition Rt. Hon. Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba is present alongside Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Ssegona.

According to Seegona, the jailed lawmakers are entitled to bail given that they have spent at least one year and a half in jail.

“We believe this time round our colleagues will be granted bail so their case can be heard while they are outside prison. They have served a lengthy time on remand yet they are elected members of Parliament with duties to execute,” Ssegona intimates.

It should be noted that the Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo warned that the Ssegirinya case risks dismissal from the court if the state prosecutors fail to adduce substantial evidence incriminating the lawmakers. Dollo said the delay of this case puts the status of the judiciary in disrepute.

High Court judge Lawrence Tweyanze has urged the state prosecutors to embark on speedily collecting their grounds to build their case. The MPs are battling with murder and terrorism charges related to the 2021 Masaka carnage that left nearly 28 people butchered by machete wielding assailants. Their previous efforts to obtain bail have been hitting a snug with the judiciary under direct influence of President Museveni finding it difficult to approve the prayers of the jailed MPs. In 2021, the MPs were granted a UGX 20m cash bail but their freedom was short lived after commandos rearrested them on fresh charges.

Their bail hearing will start today February 13, and end on 16th