By Ruth Anderah
The Court of Appeal has also denied bail to Kawempe member of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya and Makindye West MP Allan Sewanyana.
The MPs have been in prison without trial for the past nine months and had run to the Court of Appeal after the Masaka High Court denied them bail on two occasions.
However, three justices of the Court of Appeal concurred with the state and ruled that the two MPs had no appeal before them and they directed all files be forwarded to the principal Judge for further management.
On June 22nd, chief state prosecutor, Joseph Kyomuhendo objected to the legislators bail appeal saying both Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana should have first exhausted all other avenues in enforcing their fundamental rights including re-applying for bail or exploring the Human Rights Enforcement Act to secure release.
Kyomuhendo in the company of another chief prosecutor Richard Birivumbuka asked the three justices to dismiss the MP’s application because it has no legal basis as they have no formal appeal filed in court .
However, the MP’s Lawyers led by Samuel Muyizzi have vowed to challenge the said rulling in the Constitutional Court mantaining that their Client’s right to a bail is being violated.
According to Muyizi, the Constitution of Uganda guarantees the right to liberty and the right to a fair and speedy trial, which the said courts have continued to violate by denying their clients bail.
He faulted judges of being used by the state to deny bail to suspects especially those from the oppostion.
