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State drops charges against deceased Kawempe North MP Ssegirinya
Kawempe North MP Mohammed Ssegirinya in court in 2021. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- The deceased Kawempe North MP spent most of his time in prison and hospital after the state accused him of being behind Masaka machete attacks that left 26 people dead.
- A March 13, 2025, bloody by-election saw Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola of NUP declared winner, replacing Ssegirinya.
The International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala has officially withdrawn murder and terrorism charges against the deceased Kawmpe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya.
One of the defence lawyers, Mr Samuel Mulindwa Muyiizi, asked the court to have the indictment amended after the death of his client (Ssegirinya).
“We would want to appreciate the patience given by the court at all times when our client was ill, and oftentimes prayed for him when the court was commencing. Our client passed on January 9th, 2025 and was buried on the eleventh day and upon his death, the criminal proceedings abated. I apply to have the indictment amended,” Mr Muyiizi told the court.
The presiding judge, Alice Komuhangi Kaukha, condoled with the family and friends following Ssegirinya's death on January 9, 2025.
“Because other accused persons are still on remand, it is for this reason that the Prosecution is given only two weeks to amend the indictment and also serve the remaining disclosures fully not later than April 1, 2025. The matter is adjourned to 7th and 8th April for conferencing and reading of the charges,” Justice Kaukha held.
The prosecution led by Mr Richard Birivumbuka requested additional time to reorganize evidence and amend the indictment to exclude Ssegirinya whose charges abate automatically.
Ssgirinya’s co-accused, who is Makindye West MP, Mr Allan Ssewanyana who is on bail faces trial now with four others on offences of murder, 15 attempted murder charges, terrorism, and aiding and abetting terrorism.
The four other suspects are; Mike Sserwadda, Jude Muwonge, Bulo Wamala, John Mugera and Jackson Kanyike.
The group is accused of being behind the spate of killings in Masaka Sub-region that left about 26 residents killed between March and June 2021.
The case is still under pre-trial before the ICD.
Ssegirinya who died at Lubaga Hospital was elected to Parliament in the 2021 general election before he was arrested a year later.
He was pinned to hospital beds in Uganda, Kenya and the Netherlands following his release from prison where he and his co-accused spent over 500 days on remand.
The two were granted bail on September 21, 2021 , only to be rearrested shortly near Kigo prison where they had spent days on remand. Fresh murder charges were preferred against them, stemming from the Lwengo District machete killings.
A March 13, 2025, bloody by-election saw Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola of NUP declared winner, replacing Ssegirinya. The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) chaired by President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, on March 14 said they would go to court to challenge the results of the election in which several journalists and opposition supporters were brutalized by security operatives.
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