Lawyer Mabirizi smoked out of hiding place, arrested
Police in Kampala have arrested lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi after a recent court order.
The High Court in Kampala has sentenced lawyer Male Mabirizi to 18months imprisonment over contempt of court.
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However, the lawyer has been on the run since last week but according to the Kampala Metropolitan deputy Police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, the controversial lawyer was arrested on Monday afternoon in Banda.
“He was got from Banda, Kyambogo as he was entering the university. He is currently detained at Jinja road police stations,”Owoyesigyire told the Nile Post.
He said the arrest followed a recent order by court for his arrest.
"Whereas Male Mabirizi has been found liable in contempt of a court order, this is to command you to arrest and deliver the said person to prison mentioned in the committal warrant with immediate effect," the arrest warrant issued by the High Court on February 15 read in part.
The warrant was addressed to all officers of the Uganda Police Force wherever they are.
Justice Musa Ssekaana last week issued an order directing the arrest of the lawyer over contempt of court.
Recently, the court ordered to pay a fine of shs300 million over contempt of court but the state has since accused him of continued attacks against judicial officers.
Justice Ssekaana last week said Mabirizi has never presented himself nor filed any affidavits to defend himself over the accusations despite being summoned over the same.
The judge said the only option was sending him to prison.
“Mabirizi never presented himself to court after being summoned and neither did he file affidavits to deny the allegations against him. Court has been left with no option but to order for his arrest on sight and be taken to prison for 18 months,”Ssekaana ruled.
The judge said he had been forced to make a brief ruling in order to ensure Mabirizi stop his attacks on judicial officers.
Consequently, Justice Ssekaana ordered for Mabirizi’s immediate arrest so that he serves the 18-month imprisonment.
However, the lawyer has been in hiding since the order for his arrest and imprisonment was made last week.
On Monday morning, Mabirizi posted that he was in his seventh day of hiding, having earlier said that hiding is not cowardice but rather it is his constitutional right.
