The Masaka High Court has dismissed the bail application of detained Masaka Diocese Priest, Rev Fr Deusdedit Ssekabira, in the money laundering case against him and set a date to start hearing the case which is contrary to the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba dismissed the bail application filed by Rev Fr Ssekabira through his lawyers Samuel Muyizi and Sam Ssekyewa noting a lack of merit in the application and set February 10th to begin hearing the case in which he is accused of laundering UGX 500 million after prosecution informed court that it was ready to proceed with it’s prosecution.
Justice Nakintu further refuted fears that the case wouldn’t be heard and ordered the state to have it listed in the ongoing criminal session that began on Tuesday.
“This court has weighed the applicant’s personal circumstances, the substance of the sureties’, the presumption of innocence, the constitutional right to apply for bail against the gravity of the charge, the public interest implicated, and the need to safeguard the integrity and expeditious conduct of the trial. The state’s objections, though not defeating the right to apply, are weighty in the present context” she said.
She added, “Applying good conscience and the settled principles governing bail, the court is persuaded that the public interest in the prompt and effective prosecution of a serious economic offence must, for the moment, prevail. At the same time, the liberty of the applicant cannot be deferred indefinitely. The appropriate course is therefore a time-bound denial, tethered to a firm case management direction. Accordingly, the application for bail is denied at this stage”.
Justice Nakintu further warned prosecution that if the state is unprepared on that day, bail application will be reconsidered for Fr Ssekabira on that day.
“And I say 10th day of February 2026 because in the week ahead there is a judges’ conference. Should the state fail, without reasonable cause, to proceed on that date, this court shall revisit the applicant’s continued detention and make such orders as justice shall require, including reconsideration of the bail application” she said.
Earlier in the hearing, the Principal State Attorney Betty Karungi Gafabusa, had requested the High Court to adjourn the case against Rev Fr Deusdedit Ssekabira to February 4 to allow key parties, the Minister of Defense and Inspector General of Police to file affidavits in the case against the priest.
“My Lord we diligently requested for detailed instructions from both the ministry of defence and the office of the inspector general of police but due to unavoidable circumstances by this morning, we hadn’t yet received the detailed instructions” she said
She added, “Without prejudice my Lord, we are closely in touch with both offices and the interest of the government is that the application be defended but because we have not yet received the detailed instructions, we are unable to file our affidavits and we humbly pray that in case the court deems it fit we are given schedules to 4th February”.
However, defense lawyers objected noting the parties were served on January 13 and the hearing, already postponed to January 27, should proceed.
Fr Ssekabira, was arrested in December by UPDF soldiers from Masaka District and later on presented before court where he was charged with money laundering.
According to the charge sheet, Fr Ssekabira and others still at large between 2023 and 2025 at Centenary Bank- Masaka Branch in Masaka District, intentionally concealed or disguised the true ownership of Ugx 500,000,000/= (Five hundred Million Shillings Only) knowing or suspecting such property to be the proceeds of crime.
Justice Nakintu remanded Fr Ssekabira until 10th February 2026 when hearing to the case will begin.
