Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has ruled that there is no urgent need or novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija to seek medical attention abroad and therefore declined to release his passport to enable his travel.
The critical author who is battling charges related to offensive communication in regards tweets he made about President Museveni and Commander Land Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba last month requested court to allow him access to his passport to enable him travel abroad for proper treatment following torture while in detention.
On Monday afternoon, the e Chief Magistrate, Dr. Douglas Singiza ruled that there is no urgent need for Kakwenza to get treatment abroad.
“A review of the medical report presented doesn’t show he(Kakwenza) needs urgent treatment abroad. The condition referred to in the reports can be sustained here in our numerous medical facilities,” Dr.Singiza ruled.
Kakwenza’s lawyers had presented to court documents from Nsambya hospital indicating that he has blood clot under the nails, one of the nails is out of the nail bed, healing bruises all over his buttocks, back, thighs and other parts of the body and wanted court to allow him travel abroad for further treatment.
The magistrate also threw out a request by the critical writer to have the court stay proceedings until the High Court has ruled on the validity of the charges against him.
He ruled that the will be no prejudice suffered by Kakwenza if court continues with the case.