Family of SK Mbuga’s wife petitions court for her 'immediate release'
What you need to know:
- Court documents further show that Ms Chebet is a mother of two children of tender age who have for the past 11 days, been without their mother and yet their father, Mr Mbuga is already incarcerated abroad (Sweden) which is out of their reach.
KAMPALA. The family of Angella Vivienne Chebet, the wife to jailed businessman Sulaiman Kabangala popularly known as SK Mbuga, a Kampala socialite, has petitioned the High Court in Kampala, seeking its orders to have her taken to court “dead” or “alive”.
The family wants court’s orders to be directed at the Inspector General of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
According to court records, Ms Chebet was arrested by police on February 14, 2019 and detained at Katwe Police Station.
A habeas corpus application is made in court seeking a person under detention to be brought before court to secure that person's release unless lawful grounds are shown to justify their continued incarceration.
The Attorney General, Assistant Inspector General of Police Grace Akullo along with five police officers have been also listed as joint respondents to the application.
In a sworn affidavit before court, Chebet’s brother Samuel Mukasa states that she has since been transferred to Kira Police Station and that she has been there from February 15.
Mr Mukasa argues that Chebet’s continued detention is illegal since it has been beyond the mandatory constitutional hours as she has never been released on police bond or formally charged in court.
“Attempts by the applicant’s lawyers, with family members and Balaam Barugahare, a renowned events organizer, to secure police bond over the past few days pending investigations, have been futile and frustrated by the police operatives,” Mr Mukasa’s affidavit before court reads in part.
Adding; “As a result of the continued detention, the applicant’s constitutional right to personal liberty is being violated under the guise of protracted investigations yet she secured an order for unconditional release issued by the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Kira.”
Mr Mukasa further alleges that despite securing an order to have his sister released, police at Kibuli’s CID are yet to comply.
Court documents further show that Ms Chebet is a mother of two children of tender age who have for the past 11 days, been without their mother and yet their father, Mr Mbuga is already incarcerated abroad (Sweden) which is out of their reach.
Ms Chebet is wanted in Sweden on a case of defrauding 53m Krona (about Shs20.9b) from her former Swedish boyfriend, Mr Sten Heinsoo.
She had been arrested and charged in a Swedish court in February 2017, but jumped bail and found her way back to Uganda.
Similarly, last year, the Swedish media reported that the Swedish government had requested for assistance from the Uganda government to have Mr Mbuga and Chebet arrested. Uganda and Sweden do not have an extradition treaty between them.
Mr Mbuga, who had been known for living a luxurious lifestyle and driving posh cars, had until last month, been in jail for one year at Al Awiir Central Prison in Dubai over related charges.
About a week ago, authorities in Sweden had requested the UAE government to hand over Mr Mbuga in a case of 53m Kronor (about Shs23 billion) that his Swedish wife allegedly fleeced from a company account she jointly ran with her former boyfriend, Mr Sten Heinsoo.
Ms Chebet’s application will be heard today before Justice Musa Sekaana.
