Court orders release of man held for over 48 hours without charge

  • by Steven Mwesigye
  • June 16, 2017

The Chief Magistrate Court in Nakawa has today ordered for the release of Dan Morris Tumusiime who was arrested last month on fake allegations of raping an elderly woman in the US.
The Grade one Magistrate Christine Nantege noted that it is unconstitutional to continue keeping anyone in police custody without being charged in the courts of law.
Nantege subsequently ordered for Tumusiime’s immediate release, adding that he should be produced in court if he has any case to answer.
“It is hereby ordered that Tumusiime Morris is immediately and unconditionally released fortwith from police custody having been in police custody for over 48 hours without being charged in the courts of law,” noted the court while granting Tumusiime’s application to be released
Nantege added, “In the alternative the said Tumusiime Dan Morris be produced in courts of law to answer charges if any.”
Background
Last month, the Ugandan police arrested and detained Dan Tumusiime, 40 after he was allegedly put on the Interpol Red Notice on the request of the US authorities.
He was arrested in connection with an alleged rape case that was committed in a care home in Michigan, USA, in 2012.
Following his arrest, Mr Vicent Ssekate, the spokesman of the Directorate of Interpol told crime reporters that Tumusiime would be detained at Jinja Road Police Station in Kampala. Ssekate then added that the Tumusiime would be extradited to the US to face the rape allegations but instead Tumusiime has been held for over a month which court quashed as illegal.