Buganda Road Court has issued criminal summons against Kawempe North Member of Parliament Muhammad Ssegirinya and his two sureties after he failed to show up for the second time for the case in which he is accused of inciting violence.
The charges stem from a statement that Ssegirinya posted on his Facebook Page allegedly cautioning security forces against trying to assassinate the leader of the National Unity Platform Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.
In his post, Segirinya cautioned that the aftermath of any such action would be 40 times worse than the 1994 Rwandan Genocide in which an estimated one million people were killed in a space of 100 days.
On Friday, Chief Magistrate Siena Owomugisha issued the summons after Segirinya failed to show up for the second time. He was first summoned on 10th February 2023 but still didn't show up.
On that day, his lawyer, Medard Sssegona told the court that they could not access the file which was in possession of another counsel, Godfrey Turyamusiima, who was not in court following the death of Anthony Wameli of Wameli, the head of legal affairs for the National Unity Platform-NUP.
State Attorney Ivan Kyazze State asked the court to issue criminal summons to Segirinya and his two sureties Thomas Bagonza, the Councilor Wandegeya and Apollo Ariho, Councilor Kasangati Town Council. They were ordered to appear in court on 21st April 2023. Segirinya's lawyer, Medard Sssegona did not turn up the court.
But Bagonza says that he was in the courtroom but the magistrate sat in the chambers.
Bagonza says that Ssegirinya had asked him to inform the court to adjourn the case for two months to enable him to regain his health.
