Prime
Nixon Agasirwe denied bail
The incarcerated senior Police officer, Nixon Agasirwe. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- The state alleges that on October 25, 2013 at Kamengo in Mpigi District on Masaka Road, the suspects while in unlawful possession of firearms and grenades, ordinarily a monopoly of defence forces conveyed Lt Mutabaazi without his consent to the Republic of Rwanda. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Prosecution further alleges that on the same day, the group also conveyed a one Jackson Karemeera to Rwanda.
KAMPALA. The incarcerated senior Police officer, Nixon Agasirwe, who is among the suspects accused of kidnapping Lt Joel Mutabazi, a former bodyguard to Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, has been denied bail.
The General Court Martial chaired by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti has today declined to release Agasirwe on bail reasoning that he will interfere with the ongoing investigations on charges against him.
“The applicant’s prominence would interfere with the investigations and influence the witnesses. We also find the sureties not capable of presiding over such a high ranking officer to make him attend court whenever he is required,” ruled Gen Gutti.
Gen Gutti also ruled that Agasirwe presented two senior police officers (Commissioner of Police Fortunate Habyala and SSP Andrew Kaggwa) as his sureties, who never presented a letter of clearance from the Inspector General of Police in line with provisions of the Police standing orders.
"The sureties were not substantial since they never presented any letter from the Inspector General of Police allowing them to stand surety for the accused," Gen Gutti said while reading the ruling.
Agasirwe is jointly charged with former commandant of Police Professional Standards Unit Joel Aguma, Assistant Inspector of Police Benon Atwebembeire, Sgt Abel Tumukunde and SPC Faisal Katende both formerly attached to the Police Flying Squad and Assistant Superintendent of Police James Magada and D/Cpl Amon Kwarisiima attached to Crime Intelligence.
Also on the charge sheet are Rwandan national, Rene Rutagungira, and a Congolese national, Bahati Mugenga. All the suspects have since denied the charges preferred against them.
However, the army Court have since granted bail to Katende, Kwarisiima and Magada.
Prosecution
The state alleges that on October 25, 2013 at Kamengo in Mpigi District on Masaka Road, the suspects while in unlawful possession of firearms and grenades, ordinarily a monopoly of defence forces conveyed Lt Mutabaazi without his consent to the Republic of Rwanda. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment.
Prosecution further alleges that on the same day, the group also conveyed a one Jackson Karemeera to Rwanda.
