Parliament intruders sent back to jail

POLITICS    CRIME   PARLIAMENT

KAMPALA - City Hall Court has sent to jail two men who allegedly stormed parliament last month.

Last month, Charles Mutaasa Kafeero and Dafala Ssenjako appeared before Grade One Magistrate Fatuma Nabirye on charges of criminal trespass and malicious damage.

The accused are reportedly members of the Redtop brigade, a political pressure group that supports some opposition politicians in Kampala.

The duo denied the charges and was remanded to Luzira prison.

However, the court denied them bail on grounds that they did not present to court their national identity cards as they were ordered earlier.

Nathan Mpenje, the lawyer of the accused persons asked the court to grant them bail on grounds that they were beaten and tortured during the process of arrest and have substantial sureties and a fixed place of abode.

The case was adjourned to March 23, 2020, for mention.

The prosecution alleges that the accused persons Kafeero and Ssenjako on February 19 this year, unlawfully entered the premises of Parliament and destroyed property in there.

The two men jumped from the gallery and fell into the chambers as MPs debated. This happened at about 4:30 pm as MPs debated a document submitted to Parliament by lands state minister Persis Namuganza.

They were wearing red berets, and there was a scuffle as the MPs tried to confront them.

Security officers came in and the two were whisked away.