The General Court Martial has refused to grant bail to renegade General David Sejusa and instead sent him back to Luzira Maximum Security prison this afternoon.
Gen Sejusa’s return to jail today followed a hearing at which live coverage of the proceedings was prohibited ahead of his appearance at the Makindye-based court led by Major General Levi Karuhanga, to answer to among other charges, indiscipline and being Absent Without Leave (AWOL) from the army.
At a hearing last week, the proceedings were streamed live by some media houses, at times depicting a defiant and contemptible Gen Sejusa, who at one point even told the military court officials: ‘I am comfortable with where I am”. At the time Gen Sejusa was still being held in Makindye, before court ordered he be taken to Luzira, from where he was today produced before court.
And at around 11am, a handcuffed Gen Sejusa dressed in civilian clothes arrived at the military court aboard a prisons bus, and headed to the courtroom, where some of his relatives had been waiting for over two hours.
Gen Sejusa, who is contesting his trial in the military court, says the army court should first wait for the determination of an application he made to the High Court challenging his reported status as a serving officer of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF).
But the military court rejected this plea, saying it considers Gen Sejusa a serving military officer, who should be tried by a military court.
Meanwhile, speaking earlier on the sidelines of the hearing at the heavily-guarded Makindye-based court, Gen Sejusa’s lawyer Mike Mabikke said that he expects the military court to act in consonance with the Constitution while hearing their applications.
“We expect that whatever the court martial does, it does it within the ambit of the Constitution,” Mabikke was quoted as saying, adding that his team would today seek bail for the 61 year old General.
“Today, we expect two rulings; first on our objection on the court’s jurisdiction then the bail application. If the bail application fails, we shall go to the next phase. Lawyers always have a Plan B,” Mabikke said and added: “Gen Sejusa is 61 years old, he is a breadwinner for his family and has an abode.”
He also said that so many people had approached them, ready to stand surety for the General.
“We have had so many prominent Ugandans who have submitted papers, ready to stand surety,” he said.
