Court Issues Criminal Summons Against Kawempe North MP Ssegirinya

Buganda Road Magistrates Court has issued a criminal summons to Kawempe North Member of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya requiring him to appear and face trial on charges of inciting violence.

The summons was issued on Friday by the Grade One Magistrate Marion Mangeni following a request of State Attorney Ivan Kyazze.

Kyazze told the court that Ssegirinya was supposed to appear today but neither he nor his lawyers showed up for further hearing of his case.

As a result, the court issued a summons requiring Ssegirinya who is out on bail to appear on September 21 for the trial to continue.

Ssegirinya whose election as Kawempe North MP is being challenged for lack of academic qualifications was arrested on March 22, 2021, from Mini Price in Kampala. He was remanded to Kitalya Government's Prison before being granted bail three weeks later.

According to the prosecution, at the time of Ssegirinya's arrest, he had organized a protest to contest the outcome of the January 14th 2021 presidential elections and to demand for the release of National Unity Platform supporters who at that time had been detained in various facilities across the country. 

Ssegirinya allegedly marched through the streets alongside others, holding placards with a list of names of the people who were still held in custody and have since been released on bail.

The case had earlier stalled due to the ban on hearing of all cases issued by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo following the second national lockdown imposed by President Yoweri Museveni due to COVID-19.

By the time the case stalled, the prosecution adduced evidence from three witnesses who pinned Ssegirinya for the said crimes against him.

The witness included  Flavia Musimenta the Officer in Charge of Mini Price Police Post, Kampala Central Police Station Operations Officer David Nahamya and Erias Kijjampora the Investigating Officer in the case. The case was previously before the then Grade One Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu who is away on maternity leave.