Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake has requested the Law Development Center (LDC) Court to refer his case file to the Constitutional Court to assess the legality of the charges against him for violating traffic-related laws.
Zaake appeared in court today facing six charges stemming from his arrest on July 22, 2024, at the National Unity Platform offices, where he was forcibly towed while still inside his vehicle. The charges include careless and inconsiderate use of a motor vehicle, driving a motor vehicle without a valid driving license, failure to comply with lawful directives of a police officer, and using a motor vehicle without a valid motor third-party license.
However, on Monday morning, the trial magistrate, Martins Kirya, was absent, resulting in the case being adjourned until November 4, 2024. After the court session, Zaake told reporters that he and his legal team were prepared to request that the court send the matter to the Constitutional Court for a determination on the legality of the charges regarding failure to comply with lawful orders and using a vehicle without valid third-party insurance.
He criticized the prosecution, stating that what began as a political issue has been turned into a criminal matter, unnecessarily prolonging his case. He indicated that he is confident in his innocence and noted that even the magistrate seems to view the charges as minor and not worthy of prioritization.
The prosecution alleges that on July 22, 2024, at approximately 10:48 a.m. on Makerere Kavule along Bombo Road in Kampala District, Zaake drove a black Nissan vehicle with registration number UBD 184C in a careless manner, obstructing the road without regard for other road users.
Additionally, it is claimed that he was driving without a renewed third-party insurance policy and failed to comply with a police officer’s directive to move his vehicle. Zaake’s legal team, consisting of George Musisi, Eron Kiiza, and Benjamin Katana, plans to present their grounds for challenging the legality of the charges in the Constitutional Court if their request is granted by the LDC Court.
They are currently seeking to halt the proceedings and have the matter referred to the Constitutional Court pending its decision. Zaake was initially remanded to Luzira Prison on these charges, where he spent several days before being released on bail set at 200,000 Shillings.
