By Ruth Anderah
Retired Supreme Court Judge George Kanyeihamba and five others have petitioned the Constitutional Court challenging President Museveni’s push to deny bail to suspected capital offenders.
Justice Kanyeihamba who is suing President Museveni, the Attorney General and the National Resistance Party, revealed that he will be representing himself in the said petition since efforts to get any lawyer to represent him have been futile.
He says many of the lawyers he contacted have declined to take on his case out of fear, calling the case a politically motivated one.
In his petition, Justice Kanyeihamba says for President Museveni to take away any right to bail, he needs to first remove Uganda from all international treaties that guarantee the right to bail globally.
The Petitioner adds that, although the Attorney General and the Government of Uganda have a right to limit fundamental rights and freedoms, it can only be done in line with article 43 of the 1995 Constitution and International laws.
Justice Kanyeihamba contends that article 23 of the Constitution of Uganda guarantees and prescribes the Right of any person charged with a criminal offence to apply for bail, which the court can honour or deny.
The petitioners now want the Constitutional Court to prohibit the respondents or another person from furtherance of any such actions that threatens the right to Bail Application and Release on Police bond.