MP Ssewanyana remanded

COURT|CRIME|CAMPAIGNS

KAMPALA - Having been arrested on Monday, the Makindye West Member of Parliament (MP), Allan Ssewanyana has been charged and remanded to Kitalya Government Prison.

He was charged at Makindye Chief Magistrates' Court in a city suburb of Makindye on allegations of doing acts that are likely to spread infectious disease (coronavirus).

The legislator was charged alongside Robert Musisi, Ivan Wasswa, Maria Nabwase, and Issa Musisi, both his supporters. 

The five are accused of staging a campaign rally, which attracted a huge crowd of people, who did not adhere to the Ministry of Health Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).   

According to the prosecution, the accused and others still at large allegedly committed the offence on November 15, 2020, at Mulungu Landing site in Munyonyo, Makindye Division in Kampala.

Appearing before Grade One Magistrate Jude Okumu Muwone on Tuesday evening, Ssewanyana, the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer for Makindye West and his co-accused denied the charges.

After charges were read out to the accused, State prosecutor Jackie Akao informed the court that investigations are still ongoing and asked the court to adjourn the case to another date.

Defence lawyer Chrisestom Katumba asked the court to grant bail to the accused, arguing that the offence they are battling is bailable.

"Ssewanyana is a candidate who has a tight campaign schedule," Katumba submitted.

However, the magistrate declined to hear the accused's bail application, saying it was late.  The magistrate said he will hear the accused's bail application on November 23, 2020, at Buganda Road Court through video conferencing.

The accused were produced in court by police officers, attached to Katwe Police Station at about 5:30 pm, and charged at about 6:00 pm.

"People have been following you and giving police a hard time to control yet there is coronavirus. Please advise them," the judge told Ssewanyana.

Teargas

Meanwhile, outside the court premises, police were involved in running battles with Ssewanyana supporters, donning red t-shirts.

The supporters became rowdy at about 2:00 pm after receiving information from the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago that Ssewanyana's file had been registered in court but he was not in the court cell.

This prompted the funs to surround the court premises while shouting, "We do not want money but Ssewanyana, bringing court business to a standstill.

This resulted in firing teargas by a team of police officers, led by the Officer in Charge (OC) of Katwe Abraham Nuwagaba, to disperse the rowdy crowd. In response, the supporters pelted the police with stones.

Ssewanyana speaks out

Speaking to journalists before being taken to Prison, the legislator said producing him late in court was a deliberate move by police officers so that he does not get bail.

"My sureties have been in court since morning but Police intended to bring me in court late so that I do not apply for bail. The police officers swore to take me to Prison," he claims.

He added, "All this is politics. The commander of Katwe Police Station is fighting me so that I do not win in Makindye West".

Arrest

Ssewanyana was arrested on Monday and detained at Katwe when he went to follow his four supporters who were arrested from Mulungu Landing site in Munyonyo, where he organised a meeting on Sunday.

Sources said the police stormed the meeting but the supporters and organisers fled, including Ssewanyana but four of his supporters were arrested. The police also recovered a truck with a music system, which the MP had allegedly mounted speakers.