MP Zaake charged with treason, remanded till mid March
Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament, Francis Butebi Zaake has been sent on remand to Gulu Central Prison until March 14.
Zaake appeared before Gulu Chief Magistrate Isaac Kintu who read to him charges of treason before remanding him. He will appear for mention of the case on March 14. The legislator was not allowed to enter a plea given the fact that treason is a capital offence.
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Zaake had prior been arrested in Arua after the District's Chief Magistrates Court presided over by Daniel Lubowa granted him a non cash bail of 50 million shillings and his sureties following being charged with escaping from lawful custody.
He was then driven in a pickup track to Gulu and consequently charged.
In September 2018, Police preferred charges of treason and escaping from custody against then ailing Zaake, but released him on bond.
Zaake’s bond however, expired in November and was never extended. Through his lawyers; Medard Lubega Ssegona and Nicholas Opio made a request to the Director of Criminal Investigations, Grace Akullo for bond extension in vain since she was reportedly ill and admitted in hospital.
Zaake’s charges were sanction by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) pending arraigning before court and being legally charged.
The legislator together with 33 others are said to have been involved in the stoning of the presidential convoy car in Arua on August 13, 2018.
By Benson Ongom
