Besigye sent back to Luzira Prison

Nov 29, 2005

COL. Kizza Besigye was yesterday returned to Luzira Maximum Security Prison amid protests from his lawyers shortly after he finished signing his bail forms.

By Milton Olupot, Hillary Kiirya and Charles Ariko

COL. Kizza Besigye was yesterday returned to Luzira Maximum Security Prison amid protests from his lawyers shortly after he finished signing his bail forms.

Besigye was released on the treason and rape charges before the High Court but has pending charges of terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms at the Military General Court Martial (GCM) at Makindye.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president could not walk to freedom after prisons authorities said they had a warrant of commitment on remand from the GCM remanding Besigye to Luzira that was not cleared.

A statement signed by the Prisons public relations officer, Baker Apollo Asinjah, said, “He has been taken back to Upper Prison Luzira pending cases in the General Court Martial (GCM) where he is charged with terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms.”

High Court registrar for crime Roy Byaruhanga had declared Besigye a free man by about 9:30am after he signed the bail forms. He is expected to return to the High Court in two weeks for mention of his case.

Besigye (right) is expected to stay on remand until December 19 when the GCM trial begins, four days after the nomination for presidential candidates.

The FDC leader, wearing a striped purple shirt and a black pair of trousers, was led to the prisons bus at 10:40am. He walked with his hands free unlike previous court appearances, where he was handcuffed. He was, however, handcuffed in the bus. The press was barred from entering the court. Kampala extra Police chief Benson Oyo Nyeko told journalists at the gate that they were a security threat.

Asinjah’s statement said the press was denied entry to the court because of earlier reports that sections of them were likely to incite the public.

Besigye’s lead counsel Yusuf Nsubuga said the assistant commissioner in charge of prisons, Wycliffe Kururagyire, produced a warrant saying Besigye was remanded by the GCM until November 25.

“Col. Besigye appeared before the registrar for crime and signed the bail forms and deposited his passport as required. The registrar said, ‘you are free, and you are supposed to report here in two weeks.’ But the Commissioner of Prisons said there was another remand warrant. This warrant was not original and was not clear. Dr. Besigye and all of us protested,” Nsibambi said.

“They forcefully took him back to Luzira. We insist Besigye should be freed because that court (GCM) is a subordinate court to the High Court. The Constitutional Court ruled that it was a subordinate court,” Nsibambi said.

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