The Criminal Division of the High Court, presided over by Justice David Matovu, has deferred the ruling on convicted former Kampala Lord Mayor and President of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), Erias Lukwago until next week.
There was drama after a number of supporters, politicians and family members, waited patiently for him to appear in the open court only to be informed that he had been sneaked into the judge’s chambers, by prison officials through a back door.
The deferment followed the state’s objection to the bail application noting that he could interfere with witnesses and that he was a flight risk.
When given an opportunity to speak, Lukwago who carried a bag full of different medications, told the Judge that he was being forced to swallow medicine on an empty stomach due to the strict prison lock up hours for inmates.
“My Lord, my life is destabilised its now a cocktail of drugs, this kit here, My Lord if I may show you the cocktail of drugs that am using. I eat my dinner at 3pm and we are locked up at 3:30, imagine taking all these drugs on an empty stomach my lord, and some are even in bags, it’s quite a lot my Lord” he said.
Lukwago further raised concern over the TB patients who are currently in the same holding area as him of possibly worsening his health condition.
“These patients, especially TB, am predisposed my Lord to TB infections because almost on a daily basis there are TB cases which are established. I was advised by our resident doctor that I should keep my mask on 24/7”he said.
He added, “But my Lord it’s not easy, you can’t sleep in a mask and also given my lung challenges, breathlessness, keeping the mask on all through is problematic, am worried because am sitting on a time bomb my Lord”.
He further noted he has a lot of pain in the back, left leg and also complained that the drugs he was using before as sedatives are no longer effective in helping him get sleep.
Following the hearing in the chamber, Lukwago’s lawyer Medard Lubega Sseggona while addressing media outside the court, said they have presented names of four sureties to the court and are set to make their submissions in his bail application later on in the day.
“Prosecution has been ordered to make it’s submissions before mid-day on Tuesday next week, and in case we have a rejoinder to make it before 11 pm that day” he said.
Sseggona noted that Lukwago’s health condition requires him to get medication from facilities outside a prison facilities.
Lukwago was recently committed to the High Court for trial on charges of misprision of treason, contrary to Section 25 of the Penal Code Act.
According to the amended charge sheet, prosecution alleges that between 2021 and November 2024, in Kampala and Nairobi, Lukwago knew that retired Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, Joel Wakaima and Frank Kihehere Atukunda allegedly intended to commit treason but failed to report the information to the relevant authorities or take reasonable steps to prevent the offence.
In the summary of evidence presented in court, prosecution alleges that Lukwago, who leads the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), was aware of a series of meetings held in Belgium, Switzerland and Kenya involving Dr. Besigye and others accused of plotting to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government by force but deliberately failed to report the alleged plans to authorities.
Justice Mubiru has further remanded Lukwago to Luzira Prison, with the ruling on his bail application set for July 30th.
