James Mubiru, a human rights lawyer, who was brutally arrested outside the International Crimes division of the High Court Wednesday has spoken out on his ordeal during the two days he was detained.
Mubiru is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed health facility in Kampala
#Ouganda James Mubiru, avocat défenseur des droits de l'homme, qui a été brutalement arrêté devant la division des crimes internationaux de la Haute Cour mercredi, dénonce son calvaire pendant les deux jours où il a été détenu https://t.co/Wag6PeHEy8
After the alarming situation for the allegations over the kidnap of a city lawyer Bony Akol who was reported kidnapped at Najjeera, police has finally cleared the air that he is in the hands of security organs.
Patrick Onyango the police mouth piece Kampala metropolitan said that Akol was arrested by their sister security agencies for obtaining money of false pretence and is detained in a gazetted detention facility but in a good condition.
“He was arrested by one of our sister security agencies for obtaining money by false pretence.
In the picture Akol putting on a red t-shirts with the OC Tubba police post where a case of missing person was registered.
However the Uganda Law Society President Simon Peter Kinobe has asked members of ULS to emphasize the need to improve communication among staff, teamwork, and adding value to all spheres of themselves.
He has made this statement today at the wrap up of the four days capacity building training of Uganda Law Society saying the kidnaps are rampant and targeting everyone in the country.
On Wednesday, 31 July 2019, armed men picked up Patrick Mugisha, a partner at Mwesige Mugisha & Co. Advocates, from his chambers in Muyenga, a Kampala suburb. Mugisha was reported missing and a victim of abduction. It turned out that for almost a week he had been held without charge at one of ISO’s notorious illegal ungazetted detention centres in Kyengera, another Kampala suburb.
The Uganda Law Society immediately went to battle for its colleague. On 3 August 2019, its president, Mr Simon Peter Kinobe, wrote a strongly-worded letter and appeared on different television channels to denounce ISO, reminding its director-general Col Kaka Bagyenda of the constitutional violation against abductions, and even of the fact ISO has no arresting powers:
“As Uganda Law Society, we cannot continue to look on as a few individuals descend our country into chaos without reprisal. We cannot be observers in the perpetration of impunity with no call to action. We accordingly call upon all lawyers to action, to prosecute both criminally and in civil court the director of ISO Col Frank Kaka Bagyenda for these acts of impunity and, to demand the immediate unconditional release of our advocates illegally arrested and detained by the said ISO. Should ISO fail to comply with our demands to unconditionally release the detained citizens by Wednesday the 7th Day of August 2019, we shall have no choice but to further escalate the matter,” he wrote.
Mr Kinobe accused Col Kaka of “acting with impunity by kidnapping, intimidating, harassing and arresting lawyers without any reason,” Mr Kinobe warned, as he denounced the illegal holding of the lawyer, “beyond the statutory period of 48 hours,” before giving Col Kaka “up to August 7th to release the lawyer or they prosecute him!”
Krispus Ayena Odongo, the former Oyam North County Member of Parliament has been released.
Ayena who was jailed last week at Lira Central Government was released on Friday by the Lira High Court Assistant Registrar, Genevieve Natukunda.
Ayena’s lawyer, Alex Adupa presented proof of payment of 73 million shillings to Col.Charles Okello Engola, the State Minister for Defense.
He says that money was paid to Engola on Thursday.
Trouble for Ayena started when the High Court in 2016 nullified Engola’s election as the Oyam North MP on grounds that there was variation in the academic papers presented in court by Col Engola and the one he presented to the Electoral Commission for his nomination.
Engola appealed against the decision of the High Court. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the decision of the High Court hence upholding the election of Engola as the Oyam MP and ordered Ayena to pay 73 million shillings.
Prominent lawyer Patrick Mugisha is a free man tonight, days after he arrested and held captive at a safe house in Kyengera. Mugisha was abducted by plain clothed men in Kabalagala on Wednesday. CCTV footage showed three plain clothed men leading him out of office into a waiting double cabin pick up. It is not yet clear why he was arrested but a family member says he confirmed to them that he was being held by Internal Security Organisation in a safe house in Kyengera. The family secured a
Update: News from the Machika Mugisha family, the wife, Mrs Janet Mugisha tells me that he (Patrick) has been released, not tortured and he is well. He is now home surrounded by his family & friends. https://t.co/3J5q1bfPnW
The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has given the director of Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Col. Frank Kaka Bagyenda, up to Wednesday, August 7 to release the lawyer held in the custody of the security organisation or they prosecute him.
In a strongly worded letter dated August 3, 2019, the ULS president, Mr Simon Peter M. Kinobe, accuses Col Bagyenda of usurping the powers of other security agencies and acting with impunity by kidnapping, intimidating, harassing and arresting lawyers without any reason.
“The ISO Director has now taken over the role of other security agencies and has turned ISO into a clearing agency for wealthy individuals to the detriment of regular citizens. Despite the lack of statutory mandate to arrest and detain, the same has continually detained citizens in places not gazetted by law and beyond the statutory period of 48 hours. The most notorious safe house used by ISO is in Kyengera protected by the military police under the command of the UPDF,” Mr Kinobe’s letter reads in part.
The Law Society’s concern comes after one of their own, Patrick Mugisha of Mwesige Mugisha & Co Advocates, was picked up by alleged security operatives on Wednesday 31st July 2019 from his chambers in Muyenga, a city suburb. According to ULS, security operatives came in a pickup double cabin Reg No. UAQ 597K and whisked him away from his chambers without informing any of his family or workmates of the reason for arrest. A video clip shared on social media shows armed men leading him out of his office building and directing him to the pickup.
A city prominent lawyer Mr Patrick Machika Mugisha has been missing since Wednesday. It's said that he was picked up from his office by "security operatives," put in a pick up & has not been seen again.
President Museveni, in his expression of condolences, gave assurances that efforts to have the culprits face the law are on-going.
President Yoweri Museveni has visited the family of murdered Kisoro Lawyer, late Isaac Sendegyeya in Mukingu village, Kisoro Municipality.
39 year-old Isaac Sendegyeya was shot dead on Sunday morning of 21st July 2019 at the door of his home by unknown assailants as he returned home. President Museveni, in his expression of condolences, gave assurances that efforts to have the culprits face the law are on-going.
“Sorry for your loss. We shall find those criminals and they will face the law,” he said. President Museveni who was briefed on the situation as it was on the ground by family members at the time of murder, advised people to install cameras to help in such circumstances.
Police have arrested some suspects and investigations by security agencies into the murder are progressing. The late Sendegyeya is survived by a widow and two children.
