No Ugandan should be punished unless found guilty after due process- Mao

Arraigning illegally detained, brutalised and tortured suspects in the courts of law is an abuse of judicial processes that emanate from the abuse of suspects' constitutional rights and should be roundly condemned, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Mr Norbert Mao, has said.

Mr Mao who doubles as the president general for the opposition Democratic Party (DP) emphasized that the constitutional presumption of innocence is unequivocal and non-negotiable. 

“No citizen should be subjected to any punishment unless found guilty after due process in the courts of law,” Mr Mao said in a May 5, 2025 statement hours after Mr Edward Ssebufu aka Eddie Mutwe, a bodyguard of the National Unity Platform (NUP) principal was produced in a Masaka Court in a visibly weak condition and showing signs of having been tortured.
According to Mao, the courts must act swiftly and handle such cases expeditiously based on precedent. 
“There are sufficient authorities to guide the courts as they exercise their discretion to deal with torture and other abuses of constitutional rights,” he added.

Mr Mao cited the case of Uganda vs Robert Ssekabira and 10 others in which Justice Ralph Ochan made a landmark ruling when he said: "We cannot stand by and watch prosecutions mounted and conducted in the midst of such flagrant, egregious and mala fide violations of the Constitution and must act to protect the constitutional rights of the petitioners in particular and the citizens of Uganda in general as well as the rule of law in Uganda by ordering all the tainted proceedings against the petitioners to stop forthwith and directing the respective courts to discharge the petitioners."

He said his ministry has finalised the National Action Plan for Human Rights, which will soon be tabled before Cabinet for approval. 

“In addition Cabinet established a Standing Committee on Human Rights, which intervenes through official channels to ensure redress where there is violation of human rights. The Ministry will soon launch a toll free line for reporting cases of human rights violations. Let us continue to express, without undue animosity towards those of different political persuasions, our high expectations of all those in positions of authority that they live up to their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution,” he said. 

Mr Ssebufu was yesterday remanded to Masaka Main Prison after being charged with multiple counts of robbery, assault, and malicious damage to property.
The barber, who had been missing for days, was dropped off at Masaka Magistrates' Court on Monday, May 5 by plainclothes security personnel in a white Toyota Mark X. He appeared before Masaka Chief Magistrate Abdallah Kayiza, who read him six charges, including aggravated robbery, simple robbery, assault, and malicious damage to property.

According to the amended charge sheet, the prosecution alleges that on May 18, 2024, Ssebufu, alongside Achilleo Kivumbi, Gadafi Mugumya, and Grace Wakabi Smart, and others still at large, robbed Margaret Kayondo, a Masaka-based journalist with Radio Simba, at Manja Village in Lwengo District.

The accused reportedly took her green sweater and mobile phone valued at Shs730,000 and threatened her with sharp knives and sticks.

The court also heard that the group assaulted another journalist, Zainab Namusazi, a correspondent for NBS Television, causing her actual bodily harm. During the incident, her video camera, valued at Shs1.5 million, was reportedly destroyed.
The altercation occurred during the burial of Pascal Ssekasamba, a UK-based businessman and younger brother to former DP Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga. Journalists were allegedly blocked from covering the event as guards loyal to Bobi Wine attempted to restrict media movement.

Further allegations indicate that the group robbed another victim, Murungi Rodgers, of a jumper, a Spark 20 mobile phone worth Shs470,000, Shs200,000 in cash, and a national ID—all valued at Shs870,000—before using violence against him.
Other victims named in the case include John Mulazi, Drake Lubega, and Haruna Ssekito, whose phones were also stolen at the funeral.

State Prosecutor Michael Wakosesa informed the court that investigations were ongoing and requested an adjournment. Magistrate Kayiza granted the request and scheduled the next hearing for May 25, 2025, when Ssebufu is expected to reappear for mention of his case.

Ssebufu, who has now been added to the same charge sheet as other detained NUP bodyguards, faces prosecution even as his colleagues have already been committed to the High Court for trial in an upcoming session.