Court releases MP Ssegirinya’s passport to seek treatment abroad
Speaker of Parliament Ms Anita Among checks on the Kawempe North MP Mr Muhammad Ssegirinya on Friday afternoon. Photo | Speaker press team
What you need to know:
The Kawempe North MP plans to go abroad for further medical treatment.
The High Court in Masaka City has granted an application by Kawempe North legislator Muhammad Ssegirinya, seeking his passport to go abroad for further medical treatment.
Ssegirinya's lawyer Lawrence Kabuye told the court presided over by Justice Lawrence Tweyanze on Monday that his client, who is currently receiving treatment from St. Francis Hospital Nsambya in Kampala, was advised to seek further treatment in the Dutch city of Amsterdam.
Consequently, the lawyer asked court to give the legislator his passport so that he can travel abroad.
In his ruling, Justice Tweyanze ordered that the passport of the applicant be returned to him, adding that the same will be returned on or before January 15, 2024.
Court however, directed that other bail considerations remain unchanged.
Speaking to Monitor on Monday, Kabuye welcomed the court decision to allow their application saying that they are now “going to work on the traveling of the legislator so that he can get out of the country and receive specialized treatment.”
“We have to honour the court orders and we shall have to return the passport the moment the legislator comes back to the country after receiving treatment as advised,” he added.
Previously, Ssegirinya was in Netherlands receiving treatment for skin cancer among other illnesses and returned to the country in September.
“I’m delighted to announce that Ssegirinya has made a remarkable recovery. His strength and determination throughout this challenging period has been truly commendable,” said Parliament Speaker Anita Among who visited the MP at hospital on November 10.
On February ,13 Mr Ssegirinya and Makindye West legislator Allan Ssewanya were granted bail by the same court after spending almost 17 months on remand- facing multiple charges including murder, attempted murder, and terrorism among others following their arrest in September 2021.
Ssegirinya’s passport had been retained by court as one of the bail conditions in cases where he and Ssewanyana are accused of masterminding the July –September 2021killings that left over 25 dead in Masaka Sub region.
