Human Rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo has probed prison authorities on why they admitted a severely tortured Kakwenza Rukirabashaija.
Through his twitter account, Opiyo said,” Why did @UgandaPrisons admit @KakwenzaRukira to a prison facility when the law prohibits the admission of a person severely tortured? Was it that they considered his torture not severe?”
Opio quoted the law on Admission of prisoners into prison, Section 58, subsection 3, which says, “The officer in charge shall not admit any person in custody if the person is severely tortured and is in bad health condition.”
This was after a medical report from Prisons Commissioner General Dr. Kisambu James confirmed that writer Kakwenza was admitted to Kitalya Minimax prison with healing scars on the back, buttocks, thighs and hands.
Court yesterday postponed the ruling on Kakwenza’s bail application to Tuesday next week.
Kakwenza, who is currently on remand in Kitalya prison appeared on a zoom video conferencing for the hearing of his bail application.
Kakwenza’s lawyer Eron Kizza justified the bail application saying that his client had been tortured while in incarceration and therefore needs to access medical treatment.
Kizza also argued that the case which Kakwenza is being charged is bailable and therefore court should grant him his temporary freedom.
On the other hand, Prosecution State Attorney Joan Keko asked that Kakwenza should remain in detention because if released, he will have access to his social media platforms, twitter and Facebook and disrupt investigations.
Buganda Road Magistrate Dr. Douglas Singiza pushed the bail application to Tuesday, 25, January, 2022.
By Hope Kalamira