Movit Boss Birungi’s family drags government to court over his arrest

The family of Movit products Managing Director Simpson Birungi has petitioned civil division of the High Court in Kampala demanding for the release of their relative.

Birungi, who had been released on police bond was rearrested by the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) on June 7 as he left Kibuli.

He had earlier been arrested by police on allegations of murdering one of his employees.

However, in a petition filed on June 11, Birungi’s family have petitioned court seeking for orders of a habeas corpus against the Director General, Internal Security Organisation, Inspector General of Police, the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and the Attorney General to have him produced.

A habeas corpus, is an application requiring a person under arrest to be produced before a judge or into court to secure their release unless lawful grounds are shown for their detention.

According to the family represented by Birungi’s wife Sheila Kyokusiima, the Movit Managing Director has been denied his personal liberty contrary to article 23 of the Constitution.

“His abduction or kidnap is unconstitutional and illegal,” says the wife through lawyers from Nyanzi,Kiboneka and Mbabazi advocates.

“No reason has ever been availed for the continued detention yet his relatives have been denied access to him.”

The family also asks court to compel the security organs to produce him to court to answer charges against him in accordance with the law.

It is alleged that   Birungi was arrested on last week by ISO operatives who later handed him over to police and was consequently detained at Kireka Special Investigations Directorate (SID) over murder allegations of his former manager Stephen Asaba in 2010.

Asaba was murdered and his body dumped in Nakawuka ,Kajjansi town council, Wakiso district.