ULS condemns abduction of MP Akamba after bail release

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has condemned the abduction of Busiki County Member of Parliament, Paul Akamba, shortly after his release on bail by the Anti-Corruption Court.

A scuffle ensued on Friday as Akamba was rearrested at the Anti-Corruption Court premises shortly after securing bail on corruption charges.

Akamba was granted a cash bail of 13 million shillings by Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro, who also ordered him to deposit his passport with the court.

However, shortly after fulfilling the bail conditions, plainclothes armed personnel grabbed him as he exited the court premises, flanked by his supporters who screamed for his freedom.

During the scuffle, some individuals were kicked and battered as they tried to obstruct the MP’s rearrest.

Pistols were seen falling in the middle of the road as the armed personnel whisked Akamba away in a Noah vehicle, followed by another speeding vehicle branded with the Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce (JATT) logo.

As of the latest update, the whereabouts of Akamba remain unknown.

ULS president Bernard Oundo has decried this incident as a severe violation of judicial independence and constitutional rights, reminiscent of past incidents where state security forces intervened unlawfully in judicial processes.

"This appalling incident marks an alarming return to the dark days of violent interference in the judicial process by armed security operatives in blatant disregard of court orders granting accused persons bail," Oundo said.

He referenced similar past incidents in November 2005 and March 2007, where armed agents disrupted court orders, actions that were later declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Uganda.

The ULS highlighted that Akamba's abduction violates his constitutional rights to liberty, a fair hearing, and the presumption of innocence. Moreover, it undermines the authority and independence of Uganda's judiciary, as guaranteed by Article 128 of the Constitution.

"This conduct is an affront to the independence and authority of the judiciary of Uganda," Oundo said, calling for urgent action from all stakeholders to address and reverse this distressing trend.

The ULS is calling for the immediate release of Akamba in compliance with the court's bail order and demands a thorough investigation into his abduction. They also seek the swift prosecution of any officials found to be involved in this unlawful act.

"ULS remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting the rule of law, human rights, and good governance in Uganda," Oundo affirmed.

This incident raises significant concerns about the state of judicial independence and the rule of law in Uganda, urging stakeholders to prevent further erosion of legal and constitutional principles.

Akamba is jointly charged with Cissy Namujju, the Lwengo District Woman MP, and Yusuf Mutembuli. Both Namujju and Mutembuli were earlier denied bail due to a lack of substantial sureties.

 

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The prosecution alleges that MPs Mutembuli, Akamba, and Namujju solicited an undue advantage of 20% of the anticipated budget of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) for the financial year 2024/2025 from Mariam Wangadya, the Chairperson of UHRC.

This was reportedly done by claiming they could exert improper influence over the decision-making of the Budget Committee of the Parliament of Uganda to increase the UHRC budget in exchange for the said undue advantage.

Trouble for the accused began last week after President Museveni, in his State of the Nation Address, disclosed that he had overwhelming evidence of corruption among public officials.

Museveni claimed that the MPs allegedly colluded with accounting officers, the Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of Uganda to allocate public resources in exchange for kickbacks (bribes) and vowed to take action against them.

Museveni revealed that the evidence confirmed long-standing rumors of corruption within the government, particularly during the annual appropriation of taxpayers’ money.

He suggested the possibility of granting amnesty to corrupt MPs, but the majority of legislators interrupted his speech to prevent him from naming and shaming them in public.