PRA rebel suspects re-arrested
Mar 01, 2007
NINE People’s Redemption Army rebel suspects were yesterday re-arrested at the High Court on fresh murder charges after they were released on bail.
By Charles Ariko
and Hillary Nsambu
NINE People’s Redemption Army rebel suspects were yesterday re-arrested at the High Court on fresh murder charges after they were released on bail.
There was commotion at the Court for hours as the Police deployed heavily and sealed off the High Court.
Internal affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda explained: “The PRA suspects have been released on bail with respect to the treason charges for which they are being tried in the High Court. The Government fully respects this court’s decision.â€
“They (PRA suspects) are however suspects cases of murder. These murder offences are different from the treason case. Accordingly, the Police will produce them in court as soon as possible for them to plead to the said new charges.â€
Six of the nine PRA suspects had just signed their bail forms as ordered by High Court Judge, Eldad Mwangusya, when the Police swung into action, deploying both within and outside the court premises with dogs.
Earlier the High Court had convened to hear the State’s application for a review of the bail granted to the suspects in 2005. The suspects’ lawyers however opposed the review. Then the State lawyers asked for an adjournment to prepare their response.
In reply, the judge ordered that the suspects be released under the 2005 bail terms and reappear on March 6, 2007. Thereafter, the suspects moved to the Chambers of the deputy Registrar in charge of criminal division, Roy Byaruhanga, to process their release. Six signed their release papers, but three couldn’t because their sureties were absent. By that time, Police had sealed off the Court premises.
The suspects opted to remain in the Chambers of the deputy Registrar. But the Police late in the evening moved in, grabbed them and drove them to an unknown location.
During the saga, the Deputy Chief Justice, Laetitia Kikonyogo, convened a crisis meeting with the DPP, Police, Court Registrars, and senior officials of the Judiciary. Justice Kikonyogo and the Principal Judge, James Ogoola, told the press that the State had decided to institute new charges against the suspects.
In a related development, a group of foreign envoys under the umbrella of Partners of Democracy and Good Governance at 5.45 went to Foreign affairs and delivered a verbal statement to an unnamed official. The envoys included diplomats from the US, Iceland, Canada, Japan, Norway and the UN.
One diplomat told The New Vision: “We intended to highlight our concern at what took place at High Court today but the Minister was not available. We delivered a verbal statement to a junior official.†The group later went to the high Court seeking to see the Registrar.
FDC MPs also rushed from court to Parliament to protest the re-arrest of the suspects. But the Speaker Edward Ssekandi ruled that the matter will be handled next Tuesday.
They had refused to sign the bail papers fearing that they would be re-arrested as soon as they stepped out of the Court premises.
and Hillary Nsambu
NINE People’s Redemption Army rebel suspects were yesterday re-arrested at the High Court on fresh murder charges after they were released on bail.
There was commotion at the Court for hours as the Police deployed heavily and sealed off the High Court.
Internal affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda explained: “The PRA suspects have been released on bail with respect to the treason charges for which they are being tried in the High Court. The Government fully respects this court’s decision.â€
“They (PRA suspects) are however suspects cases of murder. These murder offences are different from the treason case. Accordingly, the Police will produce them in court as soon as possible for them to plead to the said new charges.â€
Six of the nine PRA suspects had just signed their bail forms as ordered by High Court Judge, Eldad Mwangusya, when the Police swung into action, deploying both within and outside the court premises with dogs.
Earlier the High Court had convened to hear the State’s application for a review of the bail granted to the suspects in 2005. The suspects’ lawyers however opposed the review. Then the State lawyers asked for an adjournment to prepare their response.
In reply, the judge ordered that the suspects be released under the 2005 bail terms and reappear on March 6, 2007. Thereafter, the suspects moved to the Chambers of the deputy Registrar in charge of criminal division, Roy Byaruhanga, to process their release. Six signed their release papers, but three couldn’t because their sureties were absent. By that time, Police had sealed off the Court premises.
The suspects opted to remain in the Chambers of the deputy Registrar. But the Police late in the evening moved in, grabbed them and drove them to an unknown location.
During the saga, the Deputy Chief Justice, Laetitia Kikonyogo, convened a crisis meeting with the DPP, Police, Court Registrars, and senior officials of the Judiciary. Justice Kikonyogo and the Principal Judge, James Ogoola, told the press that the State had decided to institute new charges against the suspects.
In a related development, a group of foreign envoys under the umbrella of Partners of Democracy and Good Governance at 5.45 went to Foreign affairs and delivered a verbal statement to an unnamed official. The envoys included diplomats from the US, Iceland, Canada, Japan, Norway and the UN.
One diplomat told The New Vision: “We intended to highlight our concern at what took place at High Court today but the Minister was not available. We delivered a verbal statement to a junior official.†The group later went to the high Court seeking to see the Registrar.
FDC MPs also rushed from court to Parliament to protest the re-arrest of the suspects. But the Speaker Edward Ssekandi ruled that the matter will be handled next Tuesday.
They had refused to sign the bail papers fearing that they would be re-arrested as soon as they stepped out of the Court premises.