MASAKA.
Masaka High Court judge Lady Justice Victoria Nakintu Katamba has finally granted bail to jailed Fr Deusdedit Ssekabira, who is facing charges of money laundering.
Prosecution alleges that between 2023, and 2025 at Centenary Bank Masaka Branch, in Masaka City , Fr Ssekabira ,47 and others still at large between 2023 and 2025 at Centenary Bank-Masaka Branch in Masaka District ,internationally concealed or disguised the true ownership of Shs500million ( Five hundred million shillings only ) knowing or suspecting such property to be the proceeds of crime.
Appearing before Masaka High Court Judge Lady Justice Victoria Nakintu Katamba, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions for Masaka, Brian Kalinaki, told the court that Fr.Ssekabira’s case did not follow the proper procedure to reach the High Court.
However, the defense lawyers led by Sam Ssekyewa and Alexander Lule told the court that the High Court is the only legal platform that can handle the bail applications which they filed, adding that the case is before the right court.
Mr Ssekyewa was responding to objections raised by Mr Kalinaki that the case was before a wrong court, saying that the High Court did not have jurisdiction to handle the matter
Mr Kalinaki had earlier told court that investigations into the matter is still incomplete given the complexity of the offense and the State needs time to gather more evidence from abroad.
However, Justice Nakintu in her ruling, overruled the objections raised by the state, on lack of jurisdiction, and sureties not being substantial, saying that she found the three sureties which were presented to the court to be substantial, granting Fr. Ssekabira bail.
The sureties were ; Masaka Diocesan chancellor Rev. Fr Charles Jude Juuko , Fr Ssekabira’s brother Andrew Matovu and Kawungu West constituency legislator Joseph Gonzanga Ssewungu.
The court ordered the priest to pay a cash bail of Shs15m and a non-cash of 50m and the sureties were bonded at 50m non cash.
However, Fr Ssekabira is supposed to report to court on every 28th day of the month at the registrar of High Court on top of depositing his passport which the lawyers told court that was confiscated by security operatives upon his arrest.
Speaking to Journalists moments after regaining his freedom, Mr Ssekyewa thanked the court for granting his client bail.
“We are happy that court granted bail to Fr Ssekabira, as the case progresses, because the State was not ready to proceed with the trial, as they had been directed in the last month court sitting, the State had not produced evidence which they had told court which was unfortunate and it was not right to continue holding him in prison.”. He added.
Rev. Fr Ssekabira ,a curate attached to Bumangi Catholic Parish in Masaka Diocese was on December 3 kidnapped by armed men at one of his offices in Katwe, Masaka City suburb.