The International Crimes Division of the High Court has declined to consolidate two murder case files against legislators Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana.
The MPs through their lawyers led by Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago had asked Justice Alice Komuhangi to combine the case file at ICD Court with one at Masaka High Court, claiming that separating the two was unconstitutional and aimed at denying their clients a fair and speedy trial.
However, Justice Komuhangi has declined and instead ordered that the suspects be tried separately on both files of Masaka and Lwengo stating that the two case files have different accused persons.
Justice Komuhangi observed that consolidation is a preserve of civil procedure (civil matters) and alien to criminal law and procedure (criminal matters).
The Judge has however fixed October 3, 2022 as the hearing date for their bail application (fourth attempt).
The MPs and five others have been in prison since September 2021 on charges of murder, terrorism, and aiding terrorists in relation to the 2021 Greater Masaka killings that left over 10 people dead.