A group of over 20 lawyers is expected to accompany fellow human rights lawyer, Eron Kiiza as he responds to summons by the Criminal Investigations Directorate to record a statement at Kibuli later today, Monday.
Kiiza was early this month summoned to record a statement by the media crimes department of the Criminal Investigations Division over an undisclosed crime but he only sent his lawyers before being warned by police over snubbing the summons.
The lawyer is however set to appear today, Monday at Kibuli to record the statement and he will be escorted by a group of over 20 fellow members of the Uganda Law Society led by Nicholas Opio.
On Sunday, the Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL) blasted police for failure to disclose the charges against Kiiza that warranted summons to CID for statement recording.
“Compelling a person who is not yet suspected to have committed a criminal offence to appear at a police station to answer questions and produce documents would be inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 23(1) of the Constitution that guarantees the right to liberty,” NETPIL said in a statement on Sunday.
“A suspect is not under any mandatory obligation to produce documents or divulge information in their possession.”
Despite not disclosing the details of the charges, Benjamin Katana, one of the lawyers representing Kiiza told journalists that they suspect the human rights lawyer was summoned to answer queries in regards to a land matter in which he represents over 1000 people who were illegally evicted from five villages in Mubende district.
In a matter presided over by Justice Murangira, Kiiza is representing a group of more than 3000 people who are protesting against their eviction from five villages including Kambuye, Kyabaana, Kikoono, Lwensanga and Kanseera in Mubende District by one George Kaweesi from a piece of land measuring 322.5 hectares with the help of police personnel.
https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/07/12/drama-in-mubende-court-as-justice-murangiras-bodyguard-presides-over-court/
