In a dramatic turn of events, lawyers for Igara East MP Michael Mawanda are urging prosecutors to present their case in court instead of subjecting their client to what they describe as a public spectacle around Kampala.
The legal team maintains there is no substantial evidence to support the allegations against Mawanda.
This appeal comes on the heels of an intensive operation during which detectives searched Mawanda's residence in Kololo for evidence related to the alleged embezzlement of more than Shs160 billion from cooperative societies.
The collected evidence was transported in a vehicle, and Mawanda was subsequently taken to Nateete Police Station for further interrogation.
Earlier today, security operatives investigating the case raided MP Michael Mawanda's home.
They spent several hours there, accompanied by his lawyers, to gather evidence supposedly linking him to the misappropriation of funds meant for cooperative societies.
While security personnel meticulously searched the house room by room, others were seen taking photographs and collecting various pieces of evidence.
Though our team was not permitted inside, we captured the ongoing activities from outside the property.
As the hours passed, detectives began loading the collected evidence into their vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Mawanda, along with his lawyers and investigators, emerged with additional documents in a black box, which were also loaded into the evidence vehicle.
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Mawanda was then escorted into a vehicle and taken back to Nateete Police Station for detention, leaving his lawyers visibly frustrated.
Brian Rubihayo, Mawanda's lawyer, vowed to fight tirelessly, insisting that there is no incriminating evidence or any substantial proof collected from Mawanda's home.
"We demand that if the prosecutors have any evidence against Mawanda, they should present it in court rather than tarnishing his reputation by moving him from place to place in search of evidence," Rubihayo declared.
Mawanda, who leads the Patriotic League of Uganda's disciplinary body, is the fourth MP to be arrested on charges related to embezzlement and mismanagement of taxpayer money.
Last week, Lwengo Woman MP Cissy Namujju, Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, and Bunyole East MP Yusuf Mutembuli were charged and remanded to prison.
