MPs Ssegirinya, Ssewanyana pre-trial resumes

KAMPALA - The pre-trial hearing of a case in which embattled MPs, Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana, are accused of murder resumes tomorrow (Monday) at the International Crimes Division (ICD) of the High Court.

Ssegirinya (Kawempe North) and Ssewanyana (Makindye West) face several counts of murder, terrorism and attempted murder, jointly with five others, emanating from the 2021 spate of killings in Masaka.

Others are Bulo Wamala, John Mugerwa, Jackson Kanyike, Mike Sserwadda and Jude Muwonge.

The court is being presided over by Justice Alice Komuhangi. State Attorneys Richard Birivumbuka and Joseph Kyomuhendo are prosecuting the case while lawyers Caleb Alaka, Erias Lukwago and Shamim Malende, are defending the suspects.

A pre-trial hearing involves a prosecutor presenting sufficient evidence to establish probable cause that the alleged crimes were committed.

Background

“Between January and August last year [2021], the accused and others still at large, with intent to intimidate the public for political, religious, or economic purposes, indiscriminately directly involved themselves in the murders and attempted murder of people in Masaka region,” the charge sheet reads.

In November 2022, the MPs, together with the five others, were committed to the International Crimes Division of the High Court for trial over the murder of Mugerwa Kizza, Sulaiman Kakooza and attempted murder of Ronald Sebyoto.

According to the indictment seen by New Vision website, one of the accused (Sserwadda) allegedly confessed to having participated in the murders and revealed that he was working with Wamala, Kanyike, Mugerwa and the two MPs to reclaim their presidential ‘victory’.

The meetings, which are said to have been graced by Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana, were allegedly co-ordinated by Wamala and Diego Bukenya, who is still at large. The indictment stated that the accused targeted the Masaka region because it attracts a lot of media attention.

The two MPs allegedly gave their co-accused cash ranging from shillings 50,000 to 100,000 to execute the ‘mission’.