Former Lord Mayor appears in Makindye awaiting the charge sheet

[00:00:00]You are watching uh the broadcast of the developments in the Lord, former Lord Mayor Edasago's uh developing story and what we can certainly report is that of the arraignment that is yet to happen. He is currently at the Maki Chief Magistrate's Court where charges are yet to be preferred and what kind of charges is a question many others will certainly be looking forward to being answered. He was brought in on a in a police van.

[00:00:31]Amid his tight security made his way to the Mach India Chief Magistrate's court and of course present at the court premises we have members of the PFF. Uh we also have lawyers from different political affiliations that have made their way there. We wait to see which chief magistrate uh will be presiding over the proceedings here but also uh based off what would perhaps be the preferred charges. the conversations around whether or not that particular court has jurisdiction to hear such uh charges as and of when uh they are mentioned. We'll wait to hear from that.

[00:01:07]We are also made uh known to us is that he is flanked by a physician uh just like you've seen him a gentleman in a yellow shirt uh who is right there. We also know of his family that is present, the wife and of course many others of the Lquago household. But for now, we want to head back to Shamim Nabako to just find out what the mood is, but also uh developments as far as we are known.

[00:01:36]What we also wanted to find out indeed was in what health condition he is in.

[00:01:42]Uh but there you have a live pictures of the former Lord Mayor for Kala who's also the chairman of the people's front for freedom uh who is before uh the courts. Many people that are making their way to the chief magistrate's court in Makindia are certainly getting um clearance from security agencies particularly the Uganda police. uh but also you are looking at um many questions around whether or not he has indeed made uh any indications to his lead councils. We've been um notified of Medal Vega Seuna and many other lawyers who are present. Uh so we want to head back to Shamim Nakuza to find out if there are indeed details of what perhaps the Lord Mayor um has made mention to the legal team. Shamim >> Tracy and the viewers of NBS television, I can be sure to tell you that the lawyers are still tight lipped on what could the way be telling them in regards to the the the the matters or charges that could be preferred against u the charges that could be preferred against the council areas Luago, former Lord Mayor for Campala. But some of the individuals that have been here at the courtroom suggest differently and we can only wait for the judge who will be here and wait for the state on what particular charges they will be preferring against the former Lord Mayor Aras Luagu. You can be sure that environment has been clearly cleared for him on the side where he is currently sitting and he is seated besides his wife is seated besides him and also one of his ads currently he is speaking to his lawyer uh and that is ma sea he's also having an engagement with council Samuel Moyesi he's one of the lawyers that he has worked with closely for such a long time also one of the lawyers he has been engaging is prosec The kunhira you can be able to see that continuous there is a physician there the gentleman that you are able to see there at the window the one that that has just moved through the camera with a mask which is blue he is one of the physicians or doctors that handle his health conditions at any time when there are questions regarding to his health matters is currently giving a brief we can call it a brief to council meda seuna who is the lawyer for his family but also He is one of his partners or one of his co-workers in Luago and company advocates. Council Medal Luigga Seigona has been on the run and on the watch looking for Lord Mayor Aras Luago for the previous days and he has been asking from the different areas from the Neta police which is closed or which is resident in the area where Lord Mayor Aras Luago stays and that is and and that is his home area until today at this particular area where we are coming to you live from the courtroom. We can be sure to tell you that he has been handling any legal process of looking for council area whereabouts until this particular time. He was also earlier on in Kira division where Kira police is where council area moved from earlier on about 40 minutes ago. And inside the courtroom where we are coming to you live from we are expectant that it's only a judge or a magistrate who is who presides over this particular matter who will be coming in to handle the processes legal in nature that are expected to be undertaken few minutes from now. We can also be keen to say that many of the PFF members have come in but also we continue to see many other lawyers come in especially those that work with council areas. There's one who also I can be able to tell you that uh the former leader of opposition Matias Muga has just arrived here inside the courtroom and is currently aside as the Lord Mayor Aras Slukquago uh briefs his lawyer or speaks to him and we can be certain to tell you that different individuals especially friends individuals that he has represents in the different courts of law before outside the courtroom in the court yard where we were coming to you live from before.

[00:06:06]Critical to note is that earlier on we were able to note that um the staff of court or members of the judiciary, those that work for it have been entering the courtroom and checking through probably to see whether members of the members of the public have been able to occupy it or indeed there are individuals from the state or from any team that could be in.

[00:06:28]And also the particular door that we are unable to show you as of now is where we expect that the magistrate will be coming from and at that particular time the expectation will be that indeed the charges get to be read for them.

[00:06:42]different aura. You are able to see all those different lawyers that you are able to see um take on the bar, get their seats and position themselves are individuals that we have been able to see differently alongside the Lord Mayor Aras Lukagu and also that speaks to what indeed will be happening minutes from now. The number of lawyers continues to grow.

[00:07:04]Each one of them taking a different seat for themselves. Now you can be able to see the closer picture that Chimbo is showing you live is a picture of the Lord Mayor Aras Luago. And indeed that picture shows him speaking to the former leader of opposition but also a friend to a friend of his who he has worked with politically for more than the 15 years that he has been at the council but also the other years that he worked as a member of parliament for Campala Central. So that speaks directly to indeed what will be critical here at the courtroom and what will be happening a few minutes from now. More family members for the Lord Mayor Aras Lukagu have been able to come in but also are there are individuals of members we are in position to see that have been given way by the Uganda police. We are uncertain whether they are the members of the state or state prosecutors. We are unable to tell whether it is them, but there's suspicion that they could be the individuals that could be representing the state in the matter that we are yet to establish, which the state would preferably prefer against the former Lord Mayor Aras Luagu here where we are coming to you live from in the courtroom.

[00:08:24]Differently, several members are clearing way for themselves. Also the the police that helps out often times in the courtroom that guides the state and the defense on where to sit and where not to sit is one of one of those that we are able to see now we are able to see individuals two ladies that are trying to have access to the bar. It means they are lawyers but are they defense lawyers or they are state prosecutors? That is what we are waiting to see. But certainly by the look of things they look to be members of all state prosecutors as of now. And so the chair that that that the magistrate is expected to be taking only a few minutes from now has also been cleared. And that only means that a process is getting to be undertaken a minute from now. a legal process which we are yet to substantiate what sort of charges it will culminate into for the former lord mayor for campala also critical to notice council areas luagu or the former lord mayor is the lead council in the matter of treason against Dr. Canis SG in that matter has been or is still expected to be coming back to the courts of law for hearing especially on 30th of June but also not just hearing of uh the trial but also the application in which the Lord Mayor Aras Luago uh sold court to have Jerham Hoskaba answer on the questions that that uh they accused two individuals Hajab Lut area. Hajed Lutali and Dr. the kids of SJ are seeking for. We can confirm that the three ladies, individuals that have come into court, uh, state prosecutors and they are currently trying to create way for them or trying to create room for them to have chairs at the bar where they are able to represent the state or the government of Uganda for any matters or for the for any charges that the state preferably wants to prefer or wants to state against. Council Aras Luago who is currently here in the courtroom. Court is full. Not any individual can find where to have a footing or even have a chair for themselves. And indeed we can only be able to tell you that indeed we we are able to tell you that those files that you are able to see suggest that indeed the files that are getting closer TA and the viewers of NBS television the files that you are able to see two files but also we can be able to tell you that some of those host the documents that we talked about earlier on and those are documents of um national identification cards and the introduction letters that come from different LC's if you are indeed intending to stand shorty for any other individual here. But also just for for the visuals if we are to say more chairs are being brought into the courtroom which suggests that indeed there's no space for anybody to sit or even to stand. And so we are able to see actually more members of the family of the Lord Mayor Aras Luagu but also we have been able to see one of the members of the forum for democratic change and that is Kaso is the former member of parliament for back India east. He is one of those that are in the courtroom here. The different expectations are is that the different individuals that are expected to be standing shorty for the lord mayor former areas lago can be able to to be clearly noted here and it's hard that the process might not be undertaken. Tracy unless if you have any other question I can be tell able to tell you that indeed the lawyers are having endless phone calls if we are to call it but also the bar has cleaned itself. The ladies that we talked about earlier, the two the Hajet you are able to see wearing a purple veil is a member of the state prosecution we can be able to say is a member of the office of the DPP or staff of that and another lady and so chairs have been prepared for them. One of them has been able to assume a seat that is is able to suggest that indeed a minute from now the process will be undertaken from here.

[00:12:43]Back to you Tracy Gan joining us from the Mckind Chief Magistrate's Court. What you see on your screen are proceedings that are taking shape and that is of the arraignment of the former L mayor for Campala, the council areas and that is certainly what you see part of his team of legal representation including council Sam Moinda.

[00:13:14]You also have council meda seona who are constituting members of his uh legal representation. Uh we also have indeed just like shamim did mention have members of the uh directorate of public prosecution's office. It will be uh certainly a moment of um you know realization recognition of what some of the charges uh that are being preferred against the former uh Lord mayor. What those will be is only a matter of time and what also the country awaits to see which chief magistrates will be which chief magistrate will be handing this particular case. But present at the court premises are interesting faces from the opposition but also uh we also have some interesting politicians as well as lawyers activists making their way to the Makindia chief magistrate's court. Uh notable among these is of course uh the honorable Matias Ampuga who is the uh president of the democratic front who is also present as these proceedings take shape. We've also been uh made aware of the former deputy mayor uh that is Dorin Andura who's also a member of the PFF present and center.

[00:14:34]uh many other faces. We have the honorable Muhammad who is also present both he did mention that he's present as a lawyer but also as a concerned party whether or not he'll be part of the defense team was the question and he did say well the many the marrier and we wait to see uh just who else and of course if you look through the courtroom uh the faces that are present are from various political affiliations uh notably from the national platform. You also have uh members present there. You also have from the democratic front um members that are present. Uh what you see is uh the bench being constituted the more chairs like Shmim did mention uh to just make sure everyone is seated before uh we have an indication of who the chief magistrate uh will be particularly uh what the charges will be. Files are being brought in. Now earlier we did have the former Lord Mayor Mary Asuku make a statement at the Kira division uh headquarters, police headquarters and we'll be uh taking stock of what perhaps the content uh was or the containments of that statement were. Uh but he is present um and of course a moment of relief for the family uh who have been questioning what his whereabouts uh have been uh for the last couple of um days. And of course he was um arrested on Monday after a police raid uh with uh security agencies there.

[00:16:10]Now there you have it. Shamim Nabakuza will be making uh sure we are aware of the proceedings. Let's now take a moment and listen in to what's happening at the Mindia Chief Magistrate's Court.

[00:16:28]How long have you been doing that?