Three suspected human traffickers denied bail

By Job Bwire  

Three people, including a woman and student accused of trafficking persons and recruiting them for rebel activities in DRC have been denied bail and sent back to Luzira prisons after  Buganda road court regarded their application for a mandatory bail as premature.

Thiery Ndekezi a 28-year-old student of Kampala International University (KIU) and Maria Nyiransabimana Josele, a 35-year-old resident of Kisoro are jointly accused with Enoch Akanyizuka alias Nasril, a 30-year-old business man from Kiruhura district.

According to prosecution, the accused in  May this year recruited four people and trafficked them to DRC for the M23 rebel activities.

 "For you to be given a mandatory bail, you must have been on remand for a minimum of 6 months and yet the accused have only been there for less than four months," said the presiding magistrate, Araali Muhiirwa. The defense lawyer, Karuhanga Kusima had earlier on asked court to release the suspects, saying that they are entitled to a mandatory bail.

Muhirwa's decision also came after David Lukwago, the state prosecutor informed court that the case file for the accused was still with the DPP for review and that he needed more time.

In the last two weeks alone, about 10 people have been charged in the same court and remanded to Luzira prison for allegedly trafficking humans and recruiting them for the M23 rebel activities.
The case was adjourned to September 27 for mention.