Herbert Wanyoto, the then West Nile Region Intelligence Officer received the legislator and took him to Arua Hospital because of severe injuries where he reportedly handed him to an intern-Dr. Andrew Adebo and returned to CPS.
MP Francis Zaake and his lawyer Medard Ssegona addressing the press shortly after the conclusion of the hearing at Arua Circuit on Friday evening..jpg 3
The Arua Grade
Magistrate, Swaleh Asiku has set June 21st 2019 to deliver his ruling on
whether or not the Mityana Municipality MP, Francis Zaake has a case to answer
for escaping from lawful custody.
Asiku set the date on Friday
evening shortly after Zaake’s Lawyer, Medard
Lubega Ssegona and the State Prosecutor; William Bayo made their closing
statements in the matter.
Zaake is accused
of escaping from lawful custody on August 13th 2018 following his arrest in
connection to the chaotic Arua Municipality MP by-elections.
The MP is said
to have been picked up by the Special Forces Command following an attack on the
president’s motorcade at Arua Prison grounds while campaigning for Arua
municipality Member of Parliament, Kassiano Wadri.
Herbert Wanyoto,
the then West Nile Region Intelligence Officer received the legislator and took
him to Arua Hospital because of severe injuries where he reportedly handed him
to an intern-Dr. Andrew Adebo and returned to CPS.
He however, found the MPs
missing when he returned with two police
officers to guard him. The legislator showed at Nsambya hospital where he was
admitted in coma.
In his
submission, the State prosecutor, William Bayo insisted that Zaake ‘is still at
large’ after he escaped from lawful custody at Arua CPS.
He asked court
to declare the legislator answerable. “From the evidence we have given this
court. I pray that court finds the suspect guilty of escape from lawful custody
and convicts him,” said Bayo.
However, the
defense lawyer told court that the accused was never in police custody because
his name was not in the Lock-up register and there was no SD Reference as police
protocol demands.
He asked court to reprimand police officers for torturing, arresting and
prosecuting the MP without any record.
//Cue in: We made a ….
Cue out: and set him free…//
Over 10 Police detectives including the OC CIID
Arua and regional CIID West Nile attended the court session to listen to the
proceedings.
One of the officers,
who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were sent to learn mistakes made
by the officers who handled the matter so that they can correct them during the
execution of their duties.
