Sureties, lawyers given one week to produce murder suspect in court

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Justice Henry Kaweesa Isabirye has tasked the sureties and lawyers of Matthew Kirabo to produce him in court. Kirabo is on trial for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Desire Mirembe.

Last week, Justice Kaweesa issued an arrest warrant for Kirabo. This was after the State Attorney Happiness Ainebyoona asked court to cancel Kirabo’s bail and issue a warrant of arrest for skipping court, one of the requirements for his bail application.

Appearing in court on Wednesday, Kirabo’s lawyer Charles Dalton Opwonya said that he does not know the whereabouts of his client. He however requested additional time to trace Kirabo and bring him to court.

“We are making all efforts on trying to secure him and bring him to court. We pray for more time,” he said.

The State Attorney Happiness Ainebyona asked the court to compel the sureties to pay a bond of 50 million shillings and if they fail, they are arrested.

“My Lord we are praying that the sureties execute the bond. The sureties were bonded by a sum of 50 million shillings each and we have one of the sureties in court.” she said.

Kirabo’s sureties include the mother Imelda Wabulembo, Bernard Mbayo, the uncle and Nelson Wabulembo.

Justice Kaweesa ruled that Kirabo’s sureties and lawyers be given one week to produce the suspect in court or pay 50 million Shillings and be arrested.

“The two sureties will produce the accused. Failure to do so you will pay 50 million shillings and as well be arrested till he is brought to court.”

Mirembe, 19, was allegedly murdered on July 10, 2015, by her boyfriend Kirabo and her body was on July 11, 2015, recovered from a sugarcane plantation in Lugazi-Kawolo, Buikwe district. Kirabo reportedly confessed to the murder.

Kirabo was then charged at Jinja Chief Magistrates Court with murder and remanded at Nalufenya prison in Jinja. He was later granted bail on November 24, 2016, which enabled him to finish his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine.

The case was later moved to Mukono High Court on the instructions of the then Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine after the state complained that the crime had been committed in the Mukono jurisdiction.

On October 6, the High Court in Mukono started hearing the case after 6 years.

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