On Monday, the MP's lawyer Samuel Muyizzi Mulindwa told Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha of the International Crimes Division of the High Court that Ssegirinya could not appear in court because he has an acute medical condition and is in critical condition at Nsambya Hospital.
All three applications are seeking to halt the terrorism trial against the Members of Parliament. Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha has stated that the applications will be handled separately as it's practically not possible to consolidate them.
In the application, the prosecutors prayed to have delayed disclosure of the identities of those witnesses, limiting the number of people to access the information and keeping the log of persons handling information related to those witnesses.
The charges stem from their alleged involvement in the greater Masaka machete killings that occurred between March and June 2021, claiming more than 20 people, and also leaving scores injured.
Mabirizi wants the pretrial hearing halted until the determination of his constitutional petition challenging the legality of the charges against the legislators and five others.
Kanyike one of the suspects told Court that there is no evidence linking Ssegirinya and Ssewanyana to the Masaka murders. He alleges that he was tortured and taken to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence where he was told to pin the MPs.
Sewanyana and Ssegirinya, were first arrested on September 7th, 2021 alongside seven others in connection to the machete killings in greater Masaka districts .
Justice Catherine Bamugemereire revealed this to Mabirizi on Thursday in the presence of Richard Adrole and Jonathan Muwaganya, both state attorneys from the Attorney General's Chambers and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions-DPP respectively.
Mabirizi made the request on Monday while appearing before the Constitutional Court Registrar, Henry Twinomuhwezi for the pretrial hearing of his suit in which, he sued the Attorney General for slapping additional charges against the legislators moments after being released on bail for murder.
Francis Mwijukye, the Buhweju County MP, says that even with the pain the MPs are in, Kigo Prison has only a health centre III yet the MPs want specialised treatment, which they can’t access at the facility. He says Ssegirinyas condition is particularly alarming.
Ssekikubo says that Government cannot sit and debate among themselves, saying the opposition exists as by the laws that govern Parliament and multiparty democracy. He says Parliament should not go on like everything is normal and debate with a one sided house.
Applicant number one Ssewanyana was the first to sign on the three copies of the forms after being directed to read through the terms and conditions. He was then followed by Ssegirinya who seemed eagerly waiting to leave jail, as his co accused Ssewanyana told him to first read through before signing even though he had started signing without reading.
Raising a matter of procedure on Wednesday in Parliament, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the Kiira Municipality MP said the arrest of the MPs touches on the privileges and protection as MPs. He questioned if Parliament is taking any step to help the MPs.
