Prosecutors in case in which Makindye West Member of Parliament Allan Ssewanyana and Kawempe North Member of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya are charged with murder among other charges have asked the International Crimes Division of the High at Kololo to give them 30 days to travel to the greater Masaka district and carry out interviews with witnesses and give them protection.
These led by Senior prosecutors; Richard Birivumbuka and Joseph Kyomuhendo made the call while appearing before Justice Jane Elizabeth Alidviza for the pre hearing of the said case.
They explained to Court that although this process would have been carried out in June 2022, there was no resources to enable it.
However, Defense Lawyers led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, have objected to the said submission on ground that it is only intended to delay justice to their clients.
Lukwago told Court that, during the hearing of the MP'S bail application, prosecution strongly objected to their temporary release saying they are ready to start prosecuting the accused persons but now to turn around to ask the 30 days adjourned is unfair.
Prosecution had based on the said grond to ask Court to again deny bail to the MPs claiming that investigations were completed and were ready to try them.
The MPs followed the said court proceedings via video Conferencing while other co-accused persons were physically produced in Court.
However, justice Alidviza declined to give them more time accusing them of being unserious and set the pre hearing date on the 28th of this month.
She further ordered Kigo Prisobs to physically produce the Two legislators in court to attend their trial through out after the MPs were not produced in Court yet there co accused attended Court physically.
In March this year, the Masaka Chief Magistrate Court committed the suspects for trial in the High Court with prosecution claiming to be ready to prosecute them.
The pre-hearing process allows the judge to listen to all prosecution evidence against the accused persons for which the judge base's on to either confirm the said charges and forward the file before a panel of three justices for hearing or dismisses them for not enough evidence.
The MPs are accused of masterminding the Bijambiya murders that saw over 10 people hacked to death by unkown assailants. They were arrested in September 2021 and denied bail twice.
However, the MPs describe the said charges as merely politically motivated.
