Police summon lawyer Mabirizi over Kyabazinga royal wedding case 

Police in Jinja City, eastern Uganda have summoned lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi to give any supporting evidence in a criminal case challenging the wedding of Busoga king, Wilberforce Nadiope and his wife, Jovia Mutesi. 
 
 In a January 29 police summon extended to Mr Mabirizi, the Criminal Investigation Directorate, stated that the Kampala-based lawyer is a key witness in the alleged fictitious Kyabazinga royal wedding criminal case, the reason he should show up on February 13 and assist them with the investigations.  

READ: Church clears Kyabazinga wedding amidst court injunction threats

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 “Under Section 27A of the Police Act, the police is empowered to invite/summon/require your attendance as a key witness in a private prosecution which you brought up against Nadiope Wilberforce, Mutesi Jovia, Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba and Nagginda Sylvia as accused persons in a fictitious marriage, bigamy and other charges under private criminal case no. 746 of 2023 where by you quoted the Magistrates’ Court Act…” the police’s invitation letter to lawyer Mabirizi authored by regional CID officer-Kiira, Mr Monday Johnson Agaba, reads in part. 
 
 Adding:“…The DPP to whom the police is the investigative body, have a reason to believe that you have valuable information/ exhibits/ documents to assist the police investigations in a case of fictitious marriage, bigamy and other charges.
 
 “You are therefore, required to report to the Kiira Central Police Station to the office of the Divisional CID officer on Tuesday, the 13th day of February, 2024 at 1100hrs to D/ASP Anyango Evelyn.  Your immediate response to this request is highly appreciated,” adds the summons. 
 
Mr Mabirizi, however, told this reporter that he would snub the police summons because the takeover of his private prosecution criminal case by the DPP was premature and unconstitutional.
 
 “I will not appear at Jinja Central Police Station and I cannot sanitize it by working with the police. Further, all this is a process to ensure that the criminal case against the Kyabazinga wedding is withdrawn by the DPP. I will challenge the takeover at an appropriate time,” Mr Mabirizi said. 
 
 On November 20, 2023, Mr Mabirizi initiated a private prosecution of the Busoga king and his wife Mutesi for alleged illegal marriage. 
 
 The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kaziimba and the queen of Buganda, Sylvia Nagginda are some of the respondents in Mabirizi’s case. 

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Mr Mabirizi accuses the Kyabazinga of engaging in a fictitious marriage and bigamy.
 
 He claims the Busoga king of entered into marriage with Ms Mutesi on November 18, allegedly knowing that he had earlier in 2016, gone through another marriage with a one Ms Alison Anna when he reportedly appeared before a registrar of marriages under the Marriage Act at Mildam House Bunbaby Road, Portsmouth in United Kingdom. 

 
 His wife Mutesi faces the charge of marriage with a person previously married.
 
 According to the charge sheet, Ms Mutesi, a person who was not yet married, accepted to get married to the Kyabazinga, who had previously been married to Ms Alison. 
 
 The archbishop is accused of unlawfully performing a marriage ceremony when he, on November 18, 2023 allegedly wedded the Kyabazinga and his wife Mutesi, very knowing that the Kyabazinga was already married to Ms Alsion.
 
 The Buganda queen faces the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony with the particulars of the case stating that on November 18, she conspired with the other accused persons when she attended the same marriage ceremony held at Christ Cathedral Bugembe in Jinja.
 
 Ahead of the Kyabazinga royal wedding on November 18, 2023, there was panic after a one Alison Anna posted on various social media platforms, claiming to be married to the king.
 
 Several private meetings were held that resulted in giving a green light for the king to marry Mutesi at a colorful and well attended wedding at Christ Cathedral-Bugembe, Jinja City. 
 
 In December 2023, Iganga Resident judge, David Batema cleared the royal wedding.

 
 He said a few days before the royal wedding, the church was hit by threats of a court injunction from Ms Alison’s lawyers based in the UK. 

RELATED: Kyabazinga never been married to anyone- Busoga kingdom
 
 Ms Alison claimed to have gotten married to the Kyabazinga in 2016 and that since then, he had not divorced her, implying that she was still his lawful wife and that his marriage with Ms Mutesi was null and void.
 
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