Masaka Murders: Museveni Fumes Over MPs Release; Proposes Referendum on Bail

Suley2019 · 2021-09-25T11:33:25+00:00

President Yoweri Museveni has lashed out at courts of law for constantly releasing on bail people suspected to have committed grave offences such as murder. Museveni in a brief statement on Saturday, described the release on bail as “a provocation” and “abominable.” He went as far as suggesting a national referendum to change the law on bail. “For somebody to kill a person and you give them bail is a provocation. It is abominable,” Museveni said. “I would like us to cure this ideological disagreement. This bail, what is the hurry? Who are you trying to please?” “We are going to work on this. I am going to summon the NRM caucus and if necessary, we put it to a referendum. With this provocation, people will take the law into their hands.” The president’s fury follows this week’s release from prison of two members of parliament, who were arrested in connection to the murders in the Greater Masaka area . The MPs Muhammad Ssegirinya (Kawempe North) and Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye west) were granted bail by the High Court early this week. The duo had earlier been summoned to police and subsequently detained following President Museveni’s revelation that opposition politicians were involved in the planning of the Masaka murders, in which 26 people were hacked to death by machete wielding attackers. Following the release on bail however, Security officers on Thursday evening rearrested Hon Ssewanyana at the gate of Kigo Prison. The UPDF later told media that Hon Sewanyana was rearrested on other offences unrelated to the Masaka killings. His colleague Ssegirinya is yet to be released since one of his sureties is out of the country. President Museveni has long opposed the right to bail for persons suspected to have committed serious crimes. He has also proposed the resumption of execution of convicts on death row, which has not happened in the country since 1999. In Uganda like in many parts of the world, the right to bail in rooted on the presumption of innocence on any criminal suspect until proven guilty. The President’s proposal for a referendum on bail, if successful, would see Article 23(6) of the national constitution amended. The law currently states that “Where a person is arrested in respect of a criminal offence- (a) the person is entitled to apply to the court to be released on bail and the court may grant that person bail on such conditions as the court considers reasonable.”

Thread starter Suley2019
Start date Sep 25, 2021
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museveni release

Suley2019

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Masaka Murders: Museveni Fumes Over MPs Release; Proposes Referendum on Bail

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