The government of Uganda has said one of the two arrested Rwandan Nationals, Theogen Sendegeya escaped from Butabika Hospital and his whereabouts are unknown to the state.
A representative from the Attorney General’s office, State Attorney Brian Musota said on Monday.
Musota revealed before High Court Judge Esta Nambayo in the case in which the Ugandan government and her Military had appeared to explain why they had been holding two Rwandan Nationals including Sendegeya and Emmanuel Magezi for eleven months without any charges against them.
This followed a court order Justice Nambayo issued last week following an application by the lawyers of the jailed persons who told court that the duo had been in illegal detention since their arrest in March 2019.
The lawyers led by Eron Kiiza argued that their clients were arrested by the operatives from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) led by Major Mushambo who picked them from Mbarara District and detained them at Makenke Military Barracks before transferring them to CMI headquarters in Kampala.
While appearing before court on Monday, Mr Musota tendered documents indicating that currently Sendegeya and Magezi are not anywhere in their detention facilities as they were taken to Butabika Hospital for treatment.
The document sworn by Lt General Joseph Musanyufu, the Joint Chief of Staff of the UPDF indicates that Magezi and Sendegeya were arrested by a joint security operation on suspicion of involvement in actions prejudicial to national security.
“He was forwarded to Butabika Hospital on August 23, 2019 for treatment. He escaped from the hospital on September 1, 2019 and his whereabouts are unknown,” said Lt Gen Musanyufu in his affidavit.
In respect to Emmanuel Magezi, Lt Gen Musanyufu stated that he was arrested under similar circumstances and subsequently forwarded to Butabika Hospital for Psychiatric Treatment but he died on January 21, 2020.
He also tendered in court another letter dated October 21, 2019 from Butabika Hospital confirming Magezi’s admission at the same hospital.
