Chaotic scene as Kaweesi murder suspects are re-arrested after release on bail

There was chaos at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kololo as security operatives re-arrested four suspects accused of murdering AIGP Andrew Kaweesi who had been granted bail.

Eight suspects in the murder of the former senior police officer are battling other charges related to terrorism, aggravated robbery and aiding terrorism and these were recently granted bail by Lady Justice Lydia Mugambe.

On Wednesday, they returned for their release orders to be signed on and consequently four of them were asked to return home whereas the rest were taken back to prison because they have other charges.

Consequently, Jibril Kalyango, Yusuf Mugerwa, Joshua Kyambadde and Siraje Nyanzi were set free unless held on other charges.

However, their lawyers sensed danger after security operatives in plain clothes surrounded court.

The lawyers then brought a vehicle, a Toyota Noah in which the four accused who had been released on bail were asked to sit to be driven out for fear of re-arrest.

Meanwhile, the lawyers also got a Toyota Prado TX that was driven to hoodwink security operatives but the same didn’t come to pass.

Security operatives used a van with private number plates to block the court premises exit.

The Arrest

In a scene, only similar to those seen in American movies where the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) arrests suspected terrorists, the security operatives at once grabbed guns from their van before pouncing on the Toyota Noah in which the accused had been stuffed.

They forced it open while brandishing heavy guns in another scene that forced everyone including journalists and relatives to the accused to run away.

The accused were each picked later like chicken thieves by a group of over 10 security operatives before being bundled into the waiting van.

The driver of the Toyota Noah in which the accused had been stuffed was not spared during the arrest.

In one scene, one operative almost lost his teeth when one of the vehicles that were part of the convoy drove off before he could sit properly.

The convoy later drove off leaving people including police counter-terrorism officers in awe.

Free but still detained

The eight who are part of the group of  23  people accused of having masterminded the gruesome murder of AIGP Andrew Kaweesi in 2018 were in March this year granted bail by the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kololo.

For over five times, the eight who were supposed to leave prison ended up being incarcerated further because Justice Lydia Mugambe who was supposed to sign on their release documents was nowhere to be seen.

Their co-accused were granted bail last year by the Chief Magistrates Court in Nakawa but in another chaotic scene, some of those released were re-arrested by security.

Prosecution alleges that the group and others still at large, between January and March 2017 in the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Jinja, Iganga, Bugiri, Busia and  Tororo for purposes of influencing government, involved themselves in Kaweesi’s murder.