Former Presidential aspirant arrested for allegedly threatening violence

Nov 14, 2020

The suspect wrote threatening that the judges were going to be ‘killed’ in a period not exceeding one week, which Twiine said was a serious offence.

POLICE|COURT|CRIME

KAMPALA - The police in Kampala is still holding a former Presidential aspirant for the offence of alleged threatening violence against the Chief Justice, Alfonse Owinyi Dollo, and other judges of the Supreme Court.

Ivan Samuel Ssebadduka (36), a resident of Zzana in Wakiso district and the editor-in-chief of the Journal of True Science was Wednesday arrested by a team of police detectives from the Supreme Court in Kololo.

Ssebadduka, who made fruitless attempts to be nominated as a Presidential candidate was last week summoned by the seven Judges of Supreme Court led Owiny-Dollo asking him to explain why he allegedly used inapt language in his application to the Supreme Court.

The police said the suspect wrote a petition asking the Supreme Court to block virtual presidential campaigns and also suspend the requirement for presidential aspirants to collect signatures for their nominations.

The Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) spokesperson, Charles Twiine said that in addition, the suspect wrote threatening that the judges were going to be ‘killed' in a period not exceeding one week, which Twiine said was a serious offence.

He said the police would not take Ssebadduka's threats lightly especially if they are directed towards senior members of the judiciary.

He said previously former senior judicial officer, Joan Kagezi, who was deputy State Prosecutor was shot dead by unknown assailants on March 30, 2015, in Najjera, Kira Municipality after receiving numerous threats on her life following a number of serious cases she was handling. 

He however said the police have the capacity to protect the judges although they would not take lightly any threats against their life.

"We are still holding him on charges of threatening violence and we want to establish the motive behind these threats," Twiine stated.

He added that the police would also consider subjecting the suspect to a mental checkup and if he is found to be of sound mind he will be charged in courts of law.

On November 6, 2020, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling dismissed with costs Ssebadduka's petition he filed against President Museveni and the Electoral Commission (EC) seeking a waiver of required signatures for nomination.

At first, Ssebadduka sought the waiver from the EC and the chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama claiming that moving across the country would expose the populace to Covid-19.

He later petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the respondents who included the EC and the chairperson, President Museveni and the Attorney General.

However, the Supreme Court presided over by Owiny- Dollo, Stella Arach Amoko, Faith Mwondha, Paul Mugamba, Ezekiel Muhanguzi, Percy Tuhaise, and Mike Chibita ruled that the petition lacked merits. 

They also noted that Ssebadduka was not an aggrieved petitioner within the ascribed meaning by the provisions of the Constitution and the Presidential Elections Act, therefore had no locust to petition the court.

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