The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Joel Ssenyonyi, has condemned the Court Martial’s decision to lock out journalists from covering the court martial proceedings on the 28 National Unity Platform (NUP) party supporters that filed bail applications, saying that the case is of national interest and that he sees no reason why the public should not be in the know.
Ssenyonyi made the remarks on Monday, February 19, 2024, while speaking to the media at Makindye General Court Martial, where he blamed the army court for refusing journalists to cover the court proceedings.
According to Ssenyonyi, the court proceedings were meant to be public, and blocking the journalists from covering them was unlawful and a violation of human rights.
“These are meant to be public proceedings, and whatever the court is doing is unlawful; why don’t you want the public to follow that process? Why are you locking out the media? Unless there is something that is not properly understandable, you’re trying to hide,” Senyonyi stated.
He further emphasised that in the previous hearing, the Court Martial rejected the accused persons from getting sureties, adding that it has again denied the media coverage of the proceeding, which they, as leaders, disagree with.
Ssenyonyi claimed that some of the substantial sureties were parents, spouses, and other relatives. However, the court said that those were not substantive sureties, which they disagreed with. He added that as national leaders, they decided to stand surety for them and then see if the court would say that they do not qualify to be substantive sureties.
He said that they are not going to remain silent on the matter and that the people are political prisoners.
LOP noted that what is happening is not prosecution but persecution, saying that it’s why the regime is changing the charges because they do not support the NRM regime.
The court, presided over by Brig Freeman Robert Mugabe, granted the prosecution side led by Lt Col Raphael Mugisha a whole month to internalise the new surities that the accused person had paraded in court and set March 19, 2024, for hearing the application of the 28 accused who are on trial over illegal possession of ammunition.
The accused persons presented NUP Members of Parliament led by LOP Joel Ssenyonyi, Francis Zaake, Hellen Nakimuli, Ronald Balimwezo,Gorret Namugga, David Isabirye, Aloysius Mukasa, and Ali Mulyanyama as their substantive surities.
The accused persons, identified as Yasin Ssekitoleko alias Machete, Robert Christopher Rugumayo, Patrick Mwase, Simon Kikaabe, Muhydin Kakooza, Olivia Lutaaya, Abdu Matovu, Ronald Kijambo, Sharif Kalanzi, Joseph Muwonge, Mesach Kiwanuka, Abdalla Kintu, Umar Emma Kato, and Musa Kavuma, were again remanded to Luzira and Kigo prisons till the set date when the court will decide whether to grant them bail or not.
The prosecution affirmed that the accused persons were allegedly found in possession of unlawful 13 pieces of explosive devices between November 2020 and May 2021 in the areas of Jinja, Mbale, Kireka, Nakulabye, Kawempe, Natete, and Kampala Central.
The accused’s lawyers, identified as Counsels George Musisi and Benjamin Katana, revealed that this was the third attempt to seek court to grant their clients bail, which they know is their constitutional right.
The defendants’ lawyers revealed that the prosecution side is buying time on the grounds of making sure that the accused persons’ sureties meet the required grounds.
