Day

BY mknewslink REPORTER—–

President uganda law society Francis Gimara has asked Inspector General of police Gen. Kale Kayihura to respect the rule of law if he wants the country to be peaceful.

while appearing on NBS television Friday morning, Mr. Gimara said if Kayihura refuses to allow law to take its course, the country is liable to face difficult situations which he termed as anarchy.

Mr. Gimara said the mob that stormed court premises need to be investigated as they interrupted with the court proceedings and government must ensure that rule of law prevails in the country.

He advised Kayihura to remember the kind of precedent he is likely to set if he fails to appear before court to answer to his criminal sermons.

Mr. Gimara said if Kayihura refuses to respondent as Uganda law society, they will consider other avenues like international criminal court to help return the situation to order.

BY monitor—–

A man suspected to have been robbing people in Lira Town using a toy gun has been arrested.
The suspect identified as Emma Brian Okello was apprehended as he was holding his victims at “gun-point” at Pipes in Ojwina Division on Friday morning.
The District Police Commander (DPC) for Lira District, Mr Ezra Tugume, confirmed that the suspect was arrested at around 10;30am.
“He had put people at a gun point in a shop and asking for money from the shop attendant,” he said, adding that the information they received indicated that the suspect possessed a real pistol.
“So we rushed [to the scene]; we found when actually he was still at the shop asking for money , and he had put the shop attendant at gun-point and the people in the shop were on ground,” the DPC added.
Eyewitnesses said the toy gun looked real. “When you see the toy in the dark, you think it is a real pistol,” an eyewitness said.
The suspect, who is being detained at Lira Central Police Station, confessed that he was using the toy gun to “survive”.
“I had not yet succeeded to pick the money by the time I was arrested,” he said.

Police have preferred a case of robbery against Mr Okello and he will be arraigned in court once his file is complete.

BY mknewlink REPORTER
IN KAMPALA———

The state prosecutor has apologized for the continued delay in investigations in a treason case against former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Besigye told court presided over by Nakawa chief magistrate Jamaes Eremy Mawanda on friday morning that since may when he was arrested,investigations have never been concluded which is inconveniencing court proceedings.
He said the ingredients in the case do not need investigations since they are of common knowledge in nature and actions through which state accuses him of having been done that relates to treason charges are on record which should not take state a lot of time investigating.

“The Constitution is clear that the accused in criminal cases should receive justice as soon as possible. I don’t know what they are still investigating because it is true I demanded an independent audit into the February elections before a new president could be sworn in,” Dr. Besigye tells chief Magistrate.

“I also said that I was the duly elected President of the Republic of Uganda in the last elections, and I have repeated it now. The problem is that they (State) know that these remarks do not constitute a treason offense.

Besigye said that prosecutors must not waste time doing investigations since he still maintains he was the duly elected president in the concluded elections.

“I have difficulty in looking after myself and the family over such tramped up charges. I ask that you (Magistrate) should dismiss the case so that they can be reinstated when the DPP feels he is ready.”

State Sorry

The Principle state Attorney handling the case, Lino Anguzo however, told the Magistrate that the court had no powers to dismiss such a grave offence adding that it can only be done by the High Court.

“We regret that the investigations have taken longer than we expected but nevertheless, this court has no jurisdiction to dismiss this case, ”Anguzo told the magistrate.

“Unfortunately this is court only performs preparatory functions as far as the merits of the charges in this matter are concerned.”

The lead prosecutor told court he was not in position to tell when the investigations would be complete stressing that it is the police that do the job and not the DPP’s office.

“While the DPP is given powers to investigate criminal matters, it’s not him or his office to personally investigate .It is one reason we have delayed.”

The magistrate concurred with the state prosecutor that his court has no jurisdiction to dismiss the case; asking Besigye to refer to the High Court where he was granted bail.

He adjourned the case to September 12.

Addressing journalists shortly after court, Besigye expressed concern over what he termed as colonial laws stressing that there is need to change some articles in the constitution.

“There is need to see that only courts with jurisdiction handle criminal cases other than the Magistrates courts that have no powers.

In this case I can take 10 years coming here when the case had not been dismissed or investigations concluded,” Besigye worried.

He noted he would seek audience from relevant authorities like Parliament and the Attorney General to see how this can be addressed.

Besigye was in May arrested and flown to Moroto government prison before being returned and charged with treason charges at the Nakawa magistrate’s court.