KAMPALA.Lawyers under the Uganda Law Society (ULS) Thursday marched to the offices of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), demanding the withdrawal of the misprision of treason charge against former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, which they described as legally untenable and politically motivated.
Led by ULS vice president Anthony Asiimwe, the lawyers, dressed in black T-shirts, walked peacefully from the society’s headquarters on Acacia Avenue in Kololo to the DPP’s offices at Workers House in Kampala.
The protest followed a June 17 petition in which the lawyers challenged the decision to charge Mr Lukwago, a senior advocate and lead defence lawyer for opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye.
“Ever since we sent the letter, we have never received any communication from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. We know he has a bigger role to play,” Mr Asiimwe said.
Upon arriving at the DPP’s offices, the lawyers found Director of Public Prosecutions Lino Anguzu leaving for another engagement.
Mr Anguzu reportedly assured them that their concerns would be addressed during a meeting scheduled for Monday.
In the petition, ULS president Isaac Ssemakadde accused prosecutors of misusing the criminal justice system to target a lawyer performing his professional duties.
“Pursuant to Section 3(c) of the Uganda Law Society Act, this is to register our strongest protest, condemnation and complaint against the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for entertaining, sanctioning, or proceeding with the charging of Advocate Erias Lukwago,” Mr Ssemakadde wrote.
He argued that serving court documents and representing clients in court proceedings could not reasonably amount to a treason-related offence.
“Serving court documents or vigorously defending a client in a high-profile political trial does not, and cannot, constitute treason. This is classic lawfare: the weaponisation of criminal justice institutions to harass, cripple and neutralise the defence team of political opponents,” he stated.
Mr Lukwago was abducted on Monday by armed security operatives from his bedroom at home in Wakaliga, Kampala, and held incommunicado for two days.
On Wednesday, he was dumped at Kira Division Police headquarters before being taken to Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court, where he was charged with misprision of treason and remanded to Luzira Prison until next Monday , when the court is expected to rule on his bail application.
Lukwago is part of the defence team representing Dr Besigye, Hajj Obeid Lutale and Capt Denis Oola in an ongoing treason case.