MP Ssegirinya Rearrested on New Charges-Police

The Uganda Police Force has said Kawempe North legislator, Muhammad Ssegirinya has been rearrested on fresh charges.

Earlier in the day, The International Crimes Division Court had set free the legislator on bail, after substituting Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake Butebi with Ntenjeru North’s legislator, Hon Nsanja Patrick as his surety.

However Ssegirinya was picked outside Kigo prison by security forces.

The Kampala Woman MP and One of Ssegirinya’s lawyers, Shamim Malende said Ssegirinya was pulled out of her car as they left Kigo Prison in Wakiso District.

“Hon Ssegirinya was pulled out of my car as we exited Kigo prison and taken to unknown destination by security operatives clad in black attire,” Malende said in a Facebook post today.

Now, The Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga in a statement said, Ssegirinya was re-arrested on fresh charges of treason and incitement to violence by the joint security task team of investigators.

“We want to inform the public that Hon Ssegirinya Mohammad has also been rearrested on fresh charges of treason and incitement to violence by the joint security task team of investigators,” He said.

Enanga says, Ssegirinya has been transferred to the Special Investigations Division, in Kireka for further statement recording and action.

MPs Ssegirinya and his Makindye West counter part, Allan Ssewanyana, were jointly arrested on September 8, 2021, and taken to Masaka Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder, attempted murder arising from the recent spate of killings of people using machetes in Greater Masaka sub-region which left over 25 people dead . They were remanded to Kigo Government Prison.

Prosecution alleges that MPs Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana physically participated and connived with other people to execute murders in the Greater Masaka region.

Addressing journalists on Monday at Naguru, Police spokesperson Fred Enanga confirmed that the joint security team on Thursday, arrested Allan Ssewanyana on fresh charges that rotate around treason and incitement of violence

Enanga said the re-arrest was within the provisions of the law.

He said Ssewanyana, is currently detained at the Special Investigations Division in Kireka and will any time either be released on police bond or arraigned before courts of law to answer the charges.

“The task time found it important to turn over those allegations against the MP and other suspects so hat they get his statement on these fresh charges. By close of business today, we will have known whether to charge him in courts of law or release him on bond since the 48 hours will elapse at 6pm.”

The developments comes at a backdrop of President Yoweri Museveni’s renewed fight against giving bail to suspects accused of capital offences.

Speaking on Wednesday at the swearing in of new judges, Museveni said bail is not a constitutional right.

“It is abominable. I would like us to cure this ideological disagreement. This bail, what is the hurry? Who are you trying to please? Who said bail is a right?…. I am going to summon the NRM caucus and if necessary, we put it to a referendum. With this provocation, people will take the law into their hands,” Museveni said.