By George Bukenya
Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Chairperson, Justice Mariam Wangadya says opposition strong man Dr. Col (Rt) Kiiza Besigye continued stay on remand is because of his refusal to be tried by the appointed High Court Judge.
Justice Wangadya made the allegations while speaking to reporters in a joint press conference at Shelton Hotel today organized by the commission to reflect on the election activities so far, with the stake holders like Police Force,Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and Inter-Religious Concial Uganda.
“The continued detention of Dr. Besigye and his co-accused Abed Lutale hinges on the duo restrict to be tried by the appointed Judge. Human Rights Commission can’t interfere in matter before courts of law or a judicial tribunal as per the Article 53 clause 4(a) of the constitution,’’ Justice Wangadya stated.
The commission has faced strong criticism over government’s continued detention of Bisigye and his co-accused Lutale. The duo was first tried in military court martial and later their case was transferred to the civilian court after their lawyers petitioning the constitutional court.
She said the commission was aware that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was ready to present its evidence. However, Besigye’s legal team, led by Kenyan Human Rights lawyer Martha Karua and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, has filed several appeals challenging the competence of High court judge Emmanuel Baguma.
The UHRC Chairperson welcomed the recent Supreme Court ruling which declared the trial of civilians before the military court martial as illegal, saying it had set an important precedent in Uganda’s jurisprudence and strengthened the rule of law.
She also expressed concern about what she described as time wasted by Besigye’s legal team. According to her, this time could have been used to argue the substantive issues in the case.
Wangadya criticized the media for not caring for other Ugandans who are languishing in the different prisons and detention centers countrywide without being tried in court saying this vice jeopardize the rule of law.
She said many prisoners continue to suffer because of case backlogs and overcrowding in the country’s prisons and the media has not come out to write or talk about such injustice.