KAMPALA- The Anti-corruption court has suspended the corruption trial of MPs, Paul Akamba, Cissy Namujju and Yusuf Mutembuli until such a time when the Constitutional court will determine a Human rights violation application filed by MP Akamba.
This is after trial judge Lawrence Gidudu has declined to rule on Akamba’s application and instead referred it to the Constitutional court saying he had no jurisdiction to interpret the Constitutional questions there in.
Now it follows that the hearing of the entire corruption case of the three MPs will depend on the outcome of the Constitutional reference.
The Constitutional court will determine whether sections 7, 8 and 11 of the Human Rights Enforcement Act which mandate the trial court to nullify the trial and acquit the accused without taking evidence violates the right to a fair hearing.
And whether a victim of crime or society has a right to a fair hearing in A28 of the Constitution.
In his application, MP Akamba had asked that his corruption trial be declared anullity because he was unlawfully re-arrested after depositing bail and held incommunicado in an ungazatted place by plain clothed security personnel.
He added that in blatant violation of his personal rights and liberties, the trial should not proceed.
Akampa who is the Busiki County MP , Namujju Donozia Cissy the Lwengo District Woman MP and Yusuf Mutembuli the Bunyole East MP are charged with soliciting a 20% undue influence from the proposed enhanced budget of the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
The three are out on bail yet their case is partially heard with Mariam Wangadya; the Chairperson of the UHRC being the first witness that the state presented.
