Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has welcomed Makindye West legislator Allan Ssewanyana and Kawempe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya to Parliament for the first time after nearly two years.
On February 13, 2023, Masaka High Court judge Lawrence Tweyanze granted Shs 20 million bail to the two legislators after spending 524 days in jail.
The two MPs first met Leader of Opposition in Parliament –LoP Mathias Mpuuga who later led them to the Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa’s for guidance before joining their colleagues in the plenary.
“We are happy to be welcoming back our two colleagues, Allan Ssewanyana and Ssegirinya Muhammad. We are always happy when we see our colleagues here being able to join us in the deliberations of this house,” Tayebwa said during the plenary.
The two MPs and four other suspects are accused of terrorism contrary to sections 7 (1) and (2) (d) and (d) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002 in count one, aiding and abetting terrorism contrary to section 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002 in count two, murder contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal code Act in Counts three, four, five and attempted murder contrary to section 204 (a) of the Penal code Act.
Prosecution states that the two legislators together with other suspects -some on remand and others still at large on August 2, 2021, allegedly killed Joseph Bwanika, a resident of Kisekka Village in Kisekka Sub County in Lwengo District.
It is further alleged that on August 23 at Ssettaala Village in Masaka City, the MPs and their co-accused persons killed Francis Mugerwa Kiiza aka Nswa, Sulaiman Kakooza and Tadeo Kiyimba.
The MPs are also accused of attempting to kill Ronald Ssebyoto, a resident of the same area. They are also accused of financing the killings in the Greater Masaka region.
