By Hillary Kiirya

SUSPECTED wife murderer Dr. Aggrey Kiyingi will attend his trial while in custody after the High Court yesterday refused to release him on bail.

Justice Catherine Okello said Kiyingi might abscond from the trial and return to his base in Australia.

Uganda does not have an extradition treaty with Australia.

Kiyingi is on remand in Luzira prison over the murder of Robinah Kiyingi. The city lawyer (below) was shot several times as she waited for her gate to open in Buziga, a Kampala suburb on July 11.

When his application came up yesterday, Okello said, “This application has no merit and it is accordingly dismissed.” The defence counsels said Kiying was of advanced age and sickly but Okello said at 51, Kiyingi was quite young and active.

“Looking at the activities in which (Kiyingi) is involved, for example as a cardiologist consultant, lecturer at Makerere University, MD Dehezi International and member of several community-based organisations, he is very active,” she said.

The courtroom was packed to capacity with many people in the corridors.

Okello said Kiyingi had only disclosed his Australian passport, but not the Ugandan one. She said his diabetes could be managed in prison.

She said Kiying appeared to have “more affinity in Australia where his sureties had less authority over him.

Principal State Attorney Vincent Wagona represented the state during the hearing, together with Sylvia Namubiru on behalf of the Uganda law Society.

James Muhumuza, Henry Rwaganika and Andrew Munanura represented Kiyingi.

During submissions, the issue of Kiyingi’s citizenship was highly stressed and has stood as one of the strongest grounds to deny him bail. Kiyingi went to Australia in 1981, where he had lived with his family.