The eight Kaweesi murder suspects being led by the prison officers to court. (PHOTO/ Rachel Agaba)
KAMPALA – Eight Kaweesi murder suspects who were committed for trial on charges of murdering of former police spokesman Felix Kaweesi in March 2017 still rot in jail as the International Crimes Division of the High Court grants them bail.
The eight suspects are; Abdurashid Mbaziira, Noordin Higenyi alias taata Abdallazak, Yusuf Mugerwa alias Wilson, Bruhan Balyejusa alias Jimmy Masiga Ogutu, Josshua Magezi Kyambadde alias Abdu Rahman, Jibril Kalyango alias Abu Aisha, Yusuf Siraje Nyanzi alias Jimmy Ssentamu and Shafik Kasujja.
The group was first granted bail on March 19, 2019 by justice Lydia Mugambe who ordered the state to get all their property which included their national identification cards among other things that were taken away and record them on the court file as part of their bail terms.
However, prosecution led by Mr Lino Aguzu asked court to first have their residences and identification cards verified by NIIRA.
In her ruling today, the judge said that she was satisfiied with the verified documentation and identification.
She said theparticular their residences she is satisfied that the areas of residence and identification brought by the accused at the bail hearing is sufficient and clear for the state to monitor them.
“I want to say that considering the three years of arrest and prosecution’s submissions on bail hearing that investigations are completed, the registrar of the International Crimes Division should urgently organize a pre-trial hearing at the convenient court session as delays may be perceived as justice denied, “the judge ruled.
However the suspects expressed their fears of not being released by the prison authority.
“We are worried that the suspects are not going to be released by the prison authority even when court has ordered so. They state that they have a production warrant dated May 23, 2019 for all the suspects from Nakawa Court,” the lawyer of the suspects Mr Anthony Wameli told court.
However when court asked the prison official only identified as Assistant Superintendent of Prisons Ekalam , he said that they need to first verify the production warrant which shows totally a different case from the one in the High Court.
The judge told them that she cannot go into another file that is not in her possession thus they (suspects) should verify with Nakawa Court and Prison.
The group is part of the 23 suspects that were charged with Kaweesi murder, his body guard Kenneth Erau and driver Godfrey Wambewa and later committed to High Court on October 23, 2017 to stand trial.
Prosecution states that the group between January and March 2017 in diverse districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Jinja, Iganga, Bugiri, Busia, Tororo and others still at large for purposes of influencing government involved themselves in complicity of murder of Kaweesi.
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