Gulu magistrate’s court has Friday afternoon remanded Mityana Municipality member of Parliament, Francis Zaake Butebi to Gulu prison on treason charges until March 14.
Zaake was arrested on Thursday evening near clocktower in Kampala, before spending a night in Police detention at the Kampala Central Police Station.
Police said he was arrested for jumping police bond which was granted to him last year, after being charged with treason against the State and escaping from lawful custody while in Arua on August 14, 2018.
Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson says the the legislator defied conditions of his bond despite attempts to have him obey.
“He however reported to CID headquarters four months later, and recorded a statement on the 3rd of December 2018. He was subsequently released on Police bond and one of the conditions was for him to reappear on the 5th December, 2018, which he outrightly breached,” Enanga said in a statement on Friday.
He adds that “the Police made several attempts to cause him to report back, including through his lawyer, Nicolas Opio but in vain.”
From CPS on Friday morning, Zaake was taken to Arua Magistrate’s Court on charges of escaping from lawful custody, where he was granted a Shs 50 million non cash bail, before adjourning the case to March 22 for hearing.
Nesma Ocokoru, the Arua Hill Division chairperson and Mathew Akile, a councillor in Arua Municipality, stood him surety.
However, the youthful MP was immediately rearrested by Police officers dressed in plain clothes and taken to Gulu magistrate’s Court on charges of treason.
Enanga has justified the re-arrest saying it was premised on grounds that he would again, snub appearing in the Gulu Court.
The lawmaker has eventually been remanded to Gulu Prison until March 14, 2019.
But Enanga has further decried members (suspects) who deliberately attempt to escape justice including politicians who violate Police bond conditions, saying it is the duty of Police to have them re-arrested and face the law.
He says some politicians “believe they can get away from justice by politicizing and snubbing the legal procedures in place.”
Zaake together with over 30 others including MPs Bobi Wine, Paul Mwiru, Gerald Karuhanga and Kassiano Wadri, faces charges of treason.
The State accuses them of pelting stones at the motorcade of President Yoweri Museveni in Arua on August 13 during an election campaign.
