By Spy Uganda
Controversial lawyer Male Mabirizi has been released from Luzira Upper prison where he has spent over a year following his conviction for contempt of court.
The background of this matter is that Mabirizi was in February 2022 convicted and sentenced by the High Court Civil Division to 18 months imprisonment for the offence of contempt of court when he used an ‘illegal’ language against judicial officers including Justice Musa Ssekaana.
However, the Prisons Authority has today released him before the sentence is over since the law allows the State to release him on the condition of remission.
“Each prisoner, on admission, shall be credited with the full amount of remission (one-third of sentence) states section 84(2) of the prisons act 2006. Applying one-third of (Justice Musa) Ssekana’s unlawful and challenged 18 months imprisonment makes 12 months, falling on 26th, February 2023,” said the Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine.
Meanwhile, after stepping out of prison, Mabirizi announced his next step saying during his time in prison, he filed a total of 110 cases against the Government and that he would continue fighting for rule of law in the country.
Mabirizi ended up in jail after filing a case against Capital Markets Authority (CPA), seeking to block MTN Uganda’s Initial Public Offer (IPO) that the company announced intending to sell some of its shares to Ugandans.
On November 15th, 2021, Justice Phillip Odoki delivered a ruling that seemingly didn’t go well with Mabirizi. As a result, Mabirizi allegedly made contemptuous comments and utterances on his Twitter and Facebook which are calculated to bring the then presiding judge into contempt and to lower his judicial authority before and after the final determination of the suit in respect of court proceedings.
Upon Mabirizi’s statements, the Attorney General petitioned court seeking its power to declare that the respondent was in contempt of Court. He also wanted the court to order Mabirizi to be committed to Civil prison for contempt of Court for six months.
In his ruling, High Court Judge Musa Ssekana said the statements posted tended to lower the authority of Justice Odoki and the High Court.
It is from the above background that Court ordered Mabirizi to pay Shs300 million or be imprisoned and also meet the costs of the application.
However, Mabirizi allegedly snubbed court summons to appear and defend himself.
“Mabirizi never presented himself to court after being summoned and neither did he file affidavits to deny the allegations against him. Court has been left with no option but to order for his arrest on sight and be taken to prison,” Justice Ssekaana ruled.
“This court has been forced to make a brief ruling to avoid further attacks on judicial officers. My detailed ruling supporting my decision will be made in the due course,” he added.
