Arrests at Court Should not be Indiscriminate-Police

By Fred Kiva

The police have explained that bailed former Police Spokesperson AIGP Felix Kaweesi murder suspects were re-arrested for allegedly conspiring with external criminal networks while in prison.

The four were arrested on Wednesday outside the court room immediately they were granted bail at the International Crimes Division of High Court in Kololo. The accused; Yusuf Nyanzi, Jibril Kalyango, Joshua Kyambadde and Yusuf Mugerwa, were picked up together with their lawyer, James Mubiru.

The group was manhandled and bundled onto a waiting van and since then their whereabouts had remained unknown, however in a statement issued on Friday Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said the matter is being handled at the Special Investigations Division, Kireka.

“The four accused persons bailed out on the 11/09/2019 were re-arrested on new developments of alleged conspiracy with external criminal networks while in prison. The matter is being investigated by the Special Investigations Division, Kireka,” he said.

The judiciary has condemned the high-handedness by the security officials in the re-arrest of people granted bail, with Deputy Chief Justice Alfonse Owinyi Dollo describing it as a direct attack on the rule of law that Uganda much cherishes.

While Enanga says “entering a court room or being present within court premises” did not in any way place the suspects above the law, he emphasizes that the arrest should have been effected in an orderly manner without disrupting court business. The police mouthpiece revealed that the Inspector General of Police will soon issue guidelines in regard to policing actions within court premises.

“Probably, courts are not happy with the way bail is perceived in some occasions by law enforcers. We are aware the purpose of bail is to allow for people accused of crime but not yet proven guilty to be released from prison. This includes dangerous persons with great potential of re-offending. Of recent we have seen that some of those released from prison or courts have committed new violent crimes immediately after their release,” Enanga said.

He added, “As a result, the IGP is going to issue a circular to all units on policing actions within court premises, making it clear that arrests should not be made indiscriminately. They should proceed to arrest targeted criminals, suspects who pose national security threats and those who pose crime and safety threats within court premises in a manner that does not disrupt court business.”