The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo has denied that the state tortured satirical novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija whilst in detention.

Kakwenza who’s currently out on bail was arrested on December 28, 2021 on charges of offensive communication when he allegedly used his Twitter handle, @KakwenzaRukira to disturb the peace of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba between December 26 and 28, 2021.

Before his release from prison, he narrated to the leader of opposition (LoP) Mathias Mpuuga that he was tortured by state operatives including injecting him with substances in his feet and hands six times every six hours, being denied sleep and made to dance with a jerrican full of water.This week on Tuesday, Kakwenza through his lawyers led by Eron Kiiza, made five requests before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court presided over by the chief magistrate Dr Douglas Singiza including returning his passport to enable him to attend an event in Germany. His passport was deposited with the court last week as one of the bail conditions.

Besides asking for the return of the passport, Kakwenza also asked court to quash the charge sheet forming the offenses against him on grounds that it lacks focus and precision since it doesn’t show exactly the offensive words that he reportedly put on his Twitter handle.

The court was also asked to quash the charges on grounds that the court has no jurisdiction to try them because the prosecutors do not exactly state where Kakwenza allegedly committed the crimes from. Further, they asked Buganda Road court to refer the case file to the High court and stay the proceedings at Buganda Road court until the High court determines whether Kakwenza’s rights were violated at the time he was in detention by the beatings that resulted in wounds, injured legs and scars.

But magistrate Singiza ordered them to make written submissions. In the submissions, the prosecutors, submitted to the court a letter written by DPP Abodo to the Attorney General seeking his advice on the issue of returning Kakwenza’s passport saying that previously they have not had applications related to his request involving foreign missions.

The DPP says that they received a copy of a letter addressed to the chief magistrate from the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in which they were asking the court to allow Kakwenza to attend an event where he will be appointed an honorary member of Pen Center. But the prosecutors say the attorney general has not yet responded to them.

On the issue seeking to have charges dismissed, the DPP contends that the law does not require them to include the actual offensive words and how they affected the victims, saying that it’s an issue that will be adduced during evidence.

They also contend that by the time Kakwenza reportedly committed the crimes against him, he was in Kampala and his MTN phone number shows based on the call data on the dates in question.

The DPP also denies the torture allegations on grounds that the medical reports Kakwenza attached to his application, do not draw any medical conclusions that his current state of health resulted from torture while in detention after his arrest in December.

“The medical reports also do not give a period within which the injuries resulting into the noted scars could have occurred. It is, therefore, speculation by the defense attorneys to conclude that the accused was tortured and developed all the listed injuries during detention,” reads in part the state submissions.

However, the chief magistrate did not deliver the ruling saying that the parties had made lengthy submissions which required him to have sufficient time to read through them in order to make an appropriate decision. He adjourned the case to February 8.

One of Kakwenza’s lawyers Nalukoola Luyimbazi said that the charges against him are baseless and unfounded.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo has denied that the state tortured satirical novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija whilst in detention.

Kakwenza who’s currently out on bail was arrested on December 28, 2021 on charges of offensive communication when he allegedly used his Twitter handle, @KakwenzaRukira to disturb the peace of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba between December 26 and 28, 2021.

Before his release from prison, he narrated to the leader of opposition (LoP) Mathias Mpuuga that he was tortured by state operatives including injecting him with substances in his feet and hands six times every six hours, being denied sleep and made to dance with a jerrican full of water.This week on Tuesday, Kakwenza through his lawyers led by Eron Kiiza, made five requests before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court presided over by the chief magistrate Dr Douglas Singiza including returning his passport to enable him to attend an event in Germany. His passport was deposited with the court last week as one of the bail conditions.

Besides asking for the return of the passport, Kakwenza also asked court to quash the charge sheet forming the offenses against him on grounds that it lacks focus and precision since it doesn’t show exactly the offensive words that he reportedly put on his Twitter handle.

The court was also asked to quash the charges on grounds that the court has no jurisdiction to try them because the prosecutors do not exactly state where Kakwenza allegedly committed the crimes from. Further, they asked Buganda Road court to refer the case file to the High court and stay the proceedings at Buganda Road court until the High court determines whether Kakwenza’s rights were violated at the time he was in detention by the beatings that resulted in wounds, injured legs and scars.

But magistrate Singiza ordered them to make written submissions. In the submissions, the prosecutors, submitted to the court a letter written by DPP Abodo to the Attorney General seeking his advice on the issue of returning Kakwenza’s passport saying that previously they have not had applications related to his request involving foreign missions.

The DPP says that they received a copy of a letter addressed to the chief magistrate from the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in which they were asking the court to allow Kakwenza to attend an event where he will be appointed an honorary member of Pen Center. But the prosecutors say the attorney general has not yet responded to them.

On the issue seeking to have charges dismissed, the DPP contends that the law does not require them to include the actual offensive words and how they affected the victims, saying that it’s an issue that will be adduced during evidence.

They also contend that by the time Kakwenza reportedly committed the crimes against him, he was in Kampala and his MTN phone number shows based on the call data on the dates in question.

The DPP also denies the torture allegations on grounds that the medical reports Kakwenza attached to his application, do not draw any medical conclusions that his current state of health resulted from torture while in detention after his arrest in December.

“The medical reports also do not give a period within which the injuries resulting into the noted scars could have occurred. It is, therefore, speculation by the defense attorneys to conclude that the accused was tortured and developed all the listed injuries during detention,” reads in part the state submissions.

However, the chief magistrate did not deliver the ruling saying that the parties had made lengthy submissions which required him to have sufficient time to read through them in order to make an appropriate decision. He adjourned the case to February 8.

One of Kakwenza’s lawyers Nalukoola Luyimbazi said that the charges against him are baseless and unfounded.

The Congolese army on said Friday that its troops killed 33 armed men in fighting against local militia allied to Burundi rebels in the east of DR Congo.The “large-scale operation” was carried out from Wednesday to Thursday in South Kivu province in the restive east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The army was fighting members of the Mai-Mai militia, which is allied to the Burundi FNL (National Forces of Liberation) and RED-Tabara rebels.Regional army spokesman Lieutenant Marc Elonga Kyondwa said the toll at the end of the fighting was “33 militiamen neutralised (killed), including three leaders”.

“This was the army’s response against these rebel groups operating in the mountains overlooking the town of Uvira” after an attack on one of its positions, the spokesman told AFP, adding that the troops were now in control as mopping-up operations continued.

The FNL and RED-Tabara rebel groups have bases in eastern DR Congo, a region destabilised by the presence of dozens of local and foreign armed groups.

The Congolese army regularly accuses Burundi rebels of allying with local militias and causing insecurity in South Kivu province.

Minister for ICT and National Guidance Chris Baryomunsi has said that as the country fully re-opens, the 7:00 pm curfew on Boda Boda’s should be strictly observed, as it is not just a Covid-19 issue.

Baryomunsi, who is also the cabinet spokesperson said that the issue of Boda Boda’s is “complicated” and they should work within the stipulated guidelines until further notice.

The ICT minister made these remarks while appearing on NBS Morning Breeze, Monday.

“The curfew for the Boda Bodas is both a COVID-19 related and a security issue. They should therefore maintain the curfew from 7:00 pm to 5:30 am,” Baryomunsi said.

The country as per President Museveni’s address on December 31, 2021, is expected to fully reopen starting Monday, January 24, 2022, with all other areas that were still under lockdown reopening fully.

The 7:00pm nationwide curfew was also lifted by the President for every sector of the economy, apart from Boda Boda’s which he said should not work in the cover of darkness.

Several stakeholders and members of the civil society have in recent weeks called for the 7:00 pm curfew on Boda Boda’s to be lifted, saying that “it is not fair” for the riders.

Baryomunsi in his response however said that this is not possible for now, as the government is still studying the situation before deciding on the matter.

The minister however asked riders and the whole Boda Boda community “to take heart”, saying that the cabinet will consider their concerns and decide soon.

“The Boda Boda riders should take heart, we are going to sit and discuss this with the scientists and guide on this issue,” the minister added.

Baryomunsi also cautioned the rest of the sectors which have been re-opened to take caution and follow all the necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) because Covid-19 is still within.

“The reason we are reopening is to revive the economy. The responsibility of the bars will depend on the owners. They should ensure social distancing and that the people who come to these bars have masks,” Baryomunsi stressed.

Justice Henry Kaweesa Isabirye has ordered parties in the trial of Matthew Kirabo for the alleged murder of his girlfriend and former Makerere University medical student, Desire Mirembe to file written submissions.

Kaweesa issued the directive when the matter came up today Monday where the defense was expected to make oral submissions for no case to answer.

However, the case took another twist when the state attorney, Happiness Ainebyona asked for court guidance since Caleb Olaka and Evans Ochieng had joined the case as defense attorneys. She cited the advocates’ professional conduct regulations SI267-2, which prohibits advocates from acting for any person without receiving instruction or authorized agents.

Ainebyona noted that the two lawyers were deliberating like they head the defense team, yet they were never introduced to the court and what their roles on the team are.

In his response, counsel Charles Dalton Opwona who has been leading the defense team noted that he and his colleague; Ali Hassan Kato had decided that they need help given the heavy work on the case hence adding Caleb Olaka and Evans Ochieng to the team as their assistants.

After listening to both sides, the judge ruled that Olaka and Ochieng stick to their role of assisting Kirabo’s defense team.

Opwonya then asked court to allow them to file written submissions. In his ruling, justice Kaweesa ruled that Kirabo’s lawyers led by Opwonya and Kato write their submissions of a no case to answer and serve Ainebyona between 3 and 4 pm and court by 5 pm.

He then ruled that Ainebyona should as well make her response to the submission by tomorrow Tuesday, and a rejoinder if needed. Kaweesa, then adjourned the case to January 28 where he expects both parties to appear in court to receive the ruling on the matter.

Kirabo is accused of murdering his girlfriend Desire Mirembe, 19, on July 10, 2015, and dumping her body in Lugazi sugarcane plantations in Buikwe district.

The body was recovered on July 11, 2015. Kirabo then confessed to the murder and was charged in Jinja High court, which remanded him to Nalufenya prison in Jinja.

The case was then moved to Mukono High court on the instructions of the then principal judge Yorokamu Bamwine after the state complained that the crime had been committed under the jurisdiction of Mukono High court. On October 6, the High court in Mukono finally started hearing the case after 6 years.