The two jailed Legislators Muhammed Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana have on Monday failed to appear before the International Crimes Division of the High Court for pre- trial hearing.
The Registrar of Court Stella Beatrice Atingu adjourned the case to February 20, 2023, for the pre-trial proceedings after the MPs for Kawempe North and Makindye West failed to appear despite a court warrant for their production in court on September 7, 2022.
The registrar directed prisons to produce the suspects physically on February 20, 2023.
Uganda Prisons Service failed to present Members of Parliament to enable them to sign some documents as required by their lawyers, following a request by the MPs through the courts to allow them to sign documents prepared for presentation before the Constitutional Court.
The documents include a petition challenging a move by the court to conceal the identity of some of the state witnesses.
The lawyers led by Samuel Muyizzi say that they cannot access the two legislators following a decision to stop visitation in prisons to avoid the spread of the Ebola Virus.
In line with the request, High Court judge Alice Komuhangi Khaukha asked the prison services to let the accused persons sign the said documents while on the premises of the Court.
Lawyer Samuel Muyizzi who represented the duo in court says it’s unfortunate that they couldn’t access their clients but would continue with the pursuit of justice. The court was adjourned to February 20, 2023 for their bail application.
