Court sets April 4 to hear Eron Kiiza’s bail application

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The High Court’s Criminal Division has set April 4th as the date for a ruling on the bail application of lawyer Eron Kiiza.

Eron Kiiza on Tuesday appeared before the High Court Criminal Division Judge Michael Elubu for a hearing of his bail application. His lawyers, led by Nicholas Opiyo, informed the Court that they had made written submissions in the case and that the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which was being represented by Senior State Attorney Timothy Amerit. The lawyers asked the Court to adopt their submissions as opposed to making oral arguments today.

The court was only shown Kiiza’s sureties physically, who included the Uganda Law Society Vice President, Anthony Asiimwe, who was originally not part of the already made written submissions, but has been added to the list of sureties.

Others are: his wife Sylvia Tumwebaze, the Archives and Data Manager of Hima Cement, two lawyers, including Dr Busingye Kabumba, a Lecturer of Law at Makerere University and Primah Kwagala, the Executive Director of Women’s Probono Initiative, who are both his friends.

Eron Kiiza notes that he is a family man with three young children aged between 4 and 10 years who need him as a parent and keeping him in prison, he is likely to cause harm on both his parental and professional obligations as he is the sole partner at his law Firm of Kiiza and Mugisha Company Advocates.

The Judge then asked Lawyer Opiyo what he had to say on the argument by the prosecution regarding sureties who reside far away from the applicant, and if they could compel him to return for the trial. In response, Opiyo said he had addressed everything in their affidavit in rejoinder, which is already before the Court record.

Lawyer Eron Kiiza told the court that he had spent 76 days in illegal detention and asked the Court to put an end to it. “My Lord, I have spent 76 days in illegal detention. I ask the Court to put an end to this. Most obliged”, said Kiiza.

Justice Elubu then fixed April 4th to deliver his decision on the matter. It is the same day when Opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and Obeid Lutaale will be returning to the Nakawa Chief Magistrates to be informed on the process of the investigations on the treason and misprision charges against them.