Bobby Wayne: Uganda court orders release of house arrest
„The court decided that personal freedom is absolutely necessary so that it should not be restricted accidentally or indefinitely,” George Mosesi told CNN by phone.
Judge Michael Elbow, who heads the court’s civil department, said that if the government had evidence against Wayne, he should be charged in court and not be “detained without justification at his home,” according to Mosesi.
Wayne, a popular singer, was the opposition’s front runner in the January 14 presidential election, and the military and police have besieged his home since the election ended.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has been declared the winner of the election for a record sixth term by the country’s electoral commission.
Wayne rejects the election results, saying he has evidence of fraud and intimidation.
He also posted on Twitter last week that no one was allowed to visit his home as he was stuck with his wife Barbara and her 18-month-old niece without food.
His niece was later evacuated „safely,” Wayne told CNN after attorneys were briefly allowed to remove her.
Mosesi said the soldiers were still in the compound and the Ugandan army had „a history of challenging court orders.” He added that they would petition the court regarding every soldier left held in contempt.
A Ugandan Police Force spokesman said the officers still at Wayne’s home would vacate the building.
„We are a law-abiding institution and we respect the Supreme Court ruling,” he told CNN on Monday.
The Wayne team will decide within the next 24 hours whether to resume the election results. Mosesi added that Wayne’s team had hoped to make a decision sooner, but was unable to meet due to the house arrest.
The deadline to do this is February 2.
Museveni’s top press secretary, Don Wanyama, said on Saturday that Wayne had no evidence of voting fraud.
„Uganda has procedures. Evidence of fraud is before the courts, not CNN,” he added.