MP Ssewanyana’s wife petitions court over husband

The wife of Makindye West Member of  Parliament Allan Ssewanyana has petitioned the High Court in Kampala to order government and its security agencies, to produce him dead or alive.

Ms Lydia Namata in her application contends that on September 23, her husband was kidnapped by military operatives shortly after his release from prison.

Ms Namata said after Mr Ssewanyana fulfilled all bail requirements as directed by Masaka High Court, he was escorted to the prison gates by two officers. 

“No sooner had he stepped out of the prison gates than a Toyota Hiace, commonly known as drone, drove in front of him, parked and over five military personnel came out with guns, pointed at him and abducted him,” Ms Namata states in her affidavit before court yesterday.

She adds: “The applicant [Mr Ssewanyana] was put inside the Toyota Hiace and driven off at a break-neck speed to an unknown destination. Since his arrest the applicant has not been allowed access to his lawyers, family, doctors or anyone from the outside world.”

The alleged abduction of Ssewanyana followed his release on bail after a protracted legal process.

He is jointly charged with fellow legislator Muhammad Ssegirinya (Kawempe North) with terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and aiding and abetting terrorism in connection to the recent wave of killings of mainly elderly people in the Greater Masaka Sub-region by machete wielding thugs. 

Mr Ssegirinya was also released on bail but he was later rearrested by security shortly after leaving Kigo Prison yesterday.
He had at first failed to get bail after one of his sureties, Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, was reported out of the country. 

In a related development, Ssewanyana’s lawyers led by Mr Erias Lukwago said he was being held at the Special Investigations Unit, Kireka in Kampala. 

Mr Lukwago added that he is facing one more murder charge bringing the total number of cases to seven.

In the new charge, it is alleged that on August 4, Mr Ssewanyana killed Joseph Bwanika of Kisekka B Village, Kankamba Parish in Lwengo District.

Mr Lukwago said the police remained cagey on the next course of action.

Respondents
The respondents in this application include the Attorney General, Chief of Defence Forces, Inspector General of Police, and Commissioner General of Prisons.