Lawyers representing former Butambala Member of Parliament Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi say they are preparing to petition court to compel authorities or any person holding him to produce him after failing to establish his whereabouts.
The lawyers say they have searched several police stations where Kivumbi could have been detained but have been unable to find him, with officers at the facilities denying that he is in their custody.
Kivumbi was reportedly arrested on Friday by armed men travelling in a Toyota “drone” van, after which his lawyers say he was taken away and handed over to unidentified individuals.
Samuel Muyizzi, one of Kivumbi’s lawyers, said the legal team has visited detention facilities within the jurisdiction but has not received confirmation of his whereabouts.
“All police stations within the jurisdiction say they don’t have him. One told us the only information they have is that he is on leave,” Muyizzi said.
The lawyers say the constitutional 48-hour period within which a detained person must be produced before court has since expired without Kivumbi being presented before a judicial officer or his detention being officially acknowledged.
Muyizzi said the legal team has now prepared an application for a writ of habeas corpus, seeking court orders requiring those holding Kivumbi to produce him before court.
“After all these hours, we waited until 12pm. Now we have to file a habeas corpus,” he said.
The lawyer added that Kivumbi was initially arrested by police before allegedly being taken away by unidentified persons.
He said that if the former MP is eventually produced before court, the defence team will apply for bail, arguing that Kivumbi is already on bail for what he described as the highest offence in the country and that any additional charges would be less serious.
Kivumbi’s family and lawyers have continued to demand clarity on his whereabouts, as concerns grow over the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
