By The court has issued new directives on the case involving lawyer Male Mabirizi’s attempt to halt the trial of two bailed MPs accused of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and aiding and abetting terrorism. Last year, Mabirizi filed an application to stop the trial of the two legislators while challenging the legality of splitting and distributing the case files against the legislators to two different courts. He argued that the MPs were being persecuted due to their political beliefs.
However, Justice Alice Komuhangi of the International Crimes Division of the High Court has directed that MP Allan Sewanyana and Muhammad Ssegirinya, the state, and their lawyers reply to Mabirizi’s application between April 17 and May 3 this year. The judge has also decided to hear each application separately, despite them all seeking the same prayer for halting the trial.
In 2021, the two MPs were indicted on charges of terrorism, murder, and attempted murder after a series of deadly attacks that left over 25 people dead in the Masaka Sub Region. They were charged alongside four others, including Jackson Kanyike, John Mugerwa, Bull Wamala, and Mike Sserwadda. While the accused persons were committed to the High Court to answer these charges, the MPs were indicted on additional charges of murder, and the case files were split with one file before the Masaka High Court.
