Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake has been remanded to Gulu prison. Zaake appeared before the Gulu Grade One Magistrate, Isaac Kintu this afternoon and was charged with treason. Kintu told Zaake that he will appear on March 14th when the matter comes up for mention. He also advised Zaake to apply for bail […]
Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake has been remanded to Gulu prison.
Zaake appeared before the Gulu Grade One Magistrate, Isaac Kintu this afternoon and was charged with treason. Kintu told Zaake that he will appear on March 14th when the matter comes up for mention. He also advised Zaake to apply for bail in the High Court.
Zaake had earlier appeared before the Arua Grade One Magistrate, Daniel Lubowa and charged with escape from lawful custody. He was then granted a non-cash bail of 50 million shillings.
However he was re-arrested outside the court premises by the police on charges of treason and whisked away to Gulu.
Zaake was arrested on Thursday night by plain-clothed police officers at around Clock Tower while on his way home.
The arrest conducted by plain-clothed police officers follows failure by the MP to report for a bond extension on December 5, 2018, on grounds that he was admitted at Lubaga Hospital and was scheduled to travel to India for further treatment.
According to prosecution Zaake while in Arua, collapsed and was taken for Arua Referral Hospital but escaped from the sick bed undetected.
Zaake is among the over 33 people who were last year charged with treason before the Gulu Chief Magistrates Court. The MP, unlike his co-accused, has never been in court to respond to these charges, owing to his medical condition at the time.
Meanwhile, Kyadondo east MP Robert Kyagulanyi of People Power said he assured Zaake “of their support and comradeship, including taking measures to enable him secure his freedom at the earliest.”
