MPs Ssewanyana, Ssegirinya committed to High Court for trial

The Chief Magistrates Court in Masaka has committed to High Court for trial two opposition Members of Parliament, Muhammad Ssegirinya of Kawempe North and his Makindye West counterpart, Allan Ssewanyana.

On Tuesday, the presiding magistrate, Christine Nantege read the summary of evidence that she said the prosecution had availed to court and would be relied on in pinning the accused persons, which she said includes CCTV footage allegedly captured from a restaurant and other places in Ndeeba linking the two legislators and other accused to planning the killings in Masaka.

The state is also set to produce in court call log records and statements recorded from some of the accused persons confessing to having taken part in the killings that rocked Masaka and also pin the co-accused and their role in the machete murders.

According to the indictment, the killings were politically motivated with an aim of discrediting government and that assailants were paid between shs50,000 and shs100,000 whenever they held meetings to plan the attacks.

The state says the meetings were held in Kampala.

Charges

The two legislators are accused together with four others of charges related to murder, attempted murder aiding and abetting terrorism committed during the spate of murders that rocked Masaka region recently.

At least 29 people were killed by unknown assailants in the spate of murders in Masaka region earlier this year.

The Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga in September said some of the suspects arrested over the murders had implicated the two opposition legislators on planning the murders in meetings held in Ndeeba, a Kampala suburb.

“The suspects indicated to us how they were promised wealth and this was under the command of the two politicians. We are going to record statements from the two MPs who are behind the murders,”Enanga said.

“The statements from suspects indicate that in a meeting at Ndeeba, they were recruited and all was done under the command of the two politicians. We want explanation from them.

The State Minister for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi had earlier said the spate of murders was well planned and orchestrated in order to cause tension and fear among the public.

He said that in the murders, assailants targeted specific people as they attacked at night, cut the victims using machetes but never took anything.