High Court halts hearing of Besigye case

The High Court has formally halted the hearing of a case in which former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president, Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye was seeking an order compelling Police to vacate his home in Kasangati, Wakiso district.

On Wednesday, the registrar of the Civil Division of the High Court, Alex Ajiji stopped the hearing of the proceedings against Besigye, pending a Constitutional Court ruling suspending the hearing of all cases against Besigye.

The ruling was passed by the Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma. Ajiji said that the case will be stayed until November, 30 2016.

The application was supposed to be heard by Justice Benjamin Kabiito.

Besigye logged a complaint at High Court through Kwesigabo, Bamwine and Walubiri advocates last month.

In his affidavit, dated March 15, 2016 seen by New Vision, Besigye claims that on February 18th, he together with some other party members, were arrested by Police at Naguru, where they had gone to check on houses they suspected to be used for pre-ticking ballot papers and other electoral offences.  

Later, he was driven to Nagalama Police Station, where he was briefly detained and driven to his home, without any charges preferred against him.

Besigye further claims that on the following day, he was rearrested together with the FDC party president Maj Gen. Mugisha Muntu at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi,  under an operation conducted by the Assistant Inspector of Police, Andrew Kaweesi and again driven to Nagalama, but was still released without any charges.

"From Feb 20, to date, I have been under continued harassment and arrest at Nagalama and Kira Police Stations and at my house at Kasangati by Police officers and security personnel that have without any claim of right stayed on my property and refused me from leaving my premises," his affidavit read in part.