Court throws out inciting violence case against jailed MP Ssegirinya
The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has thrown out a case of inciting violence against Kawempe North Member of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya.
Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate, Gladys Kamasanyu, trashed the case after prosecution failed to produce credible evidence to pin the Hon Ssegirinya. Kamasanyu explained that the availed state witnesses contradicted on who arrested and recorded his statement at the Central Police Station.
In her ruling, Kamasanyu said the witnesses didn’t tell who exactly was incited by Ssegirinya’s protest because the violence started after the police officers arrived at the scene.
Prior to the dismissal, prosecutors presented three witnesses including Erias Kijjampora, the investigating officer, Flavia Musimenta, the Officer in Charge of the MiniPrice police post who arrested Ssegirinya before handing him to Kampala Central Police Station, and CPS Operations Officer David Nahamya who participated in the arrest and recording statements.
Ssegirinya was arrested on 22nd March 2021, for staging a protest at Mini-Price in Kampala against the outcome of last year’s presidential election and demanding the release of National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters, most of whom were at that time detained in various facilities across the country.
He marched holding placards with a list of names of people who had been arrested during the 2020/2021 campaigns.
Court throws out inciting violence case against jailed MP Ssegirinya
They included Councillor James Mubiru and Musician Ali Bukeni also known as Nubian Li, who was arrested during a campaign rally in Kalangala.
Ssegirinya appeared in court via the Zoom app, without legal representation.
However, Ssegirinya’s woes are far from over as he faces a similar charge before Grade One Magistrate Siena Owomugisha, as a result of his Facebook posts while at the same time, he is also jailed at Luzira Maximum Prison on separate charges of murder and attempted murder.
Compiled by Rashidah Nakaayi
