In a surprise twist of events, nine suspected members of the Peoples Redemption Army (PRA) who were re-arrested yesterday after signing their bail papers have been transferred to Arua and Bushenyi Districts.
They now face new charges of murder.
Yusuf Nsibambi,one of the accused defence lawyers told URN, the suspects have been split into two groups and transfred to Bushenyi and Arua.
The Bushenyi group includes Besigye's brother Musasizi Kifefe, while the West Nile group includes the suspects originating from Northern Uganda.
The Arua group was flown to Arua aboard a military helicopter.
The suspects were granted bail in 2005 but remained on remand at Luzira Prison on the orders of the court martial.
High Court Judge Elidard Mwangusya yesterady ordered their release pending the hearing of a State application seeking to reverse their bail next week.
A standoff at the High Court premises yesterday lasted well past 8 PM. Police battled with supporters of the Forum for Democratic Change and forcefully moved the suspects into the prisons bus.
The suspects together with their co-accused Colonel Dr. Kiiza Besigye had locked themselves in the Criminal Registrar's office for over six hours demanding that the High Court enforce their release.
At the height of the standoff, the Deputy Chief Justice Leticia Kikonyogo, had ordered all security personnel off the Court premises. Kikonyogo, the Principal Judge James Ogoola and the Director of Public Prosecutions Richard Buteera had a crisis meeting to resolve the impasse. Kikonyogo later told journalists that the suspects could not be released because the State had slapped fresh charges on them.
This is the second time that security personnel besieged the High Court in an act that drew criticism from civil society.
The Principal judge,Justice Ogoola described the first incident in which armed men popularly known as the black mambas besieged the High Court as a rape of the judiciary.
Justice Ogoola describes the effect of the impasse at the high court yesterday.
...//Cue in: iThe Counsel that was assaulted#
...//Cue out: #and in the laws of this country.i //
Meanwhile three more suspected members of the PRA have applied for Amnesty at the Amnesty Commission.
The three are part of a group of 22 suspects that had been charged with treason.
Amnesty's commision Principal Legal Officer, Nathan Twinomugisha, says their applications are yet to be approved by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
If approved, this will bring to 12 the number of PRA suspects freed under the amnesty Act 2000.
