The former Bubulo West Member of Parliament, Tonny Nsubuga Kipoi has been rearrested in Botswana, a month after being acquitted of treason charges in Uganda.
A story in The Monitor Newspaper of Botswana indicates that Kipoi is locked up at Urban Police Station Gaborone following his arrest from Tlokweng Village, near the country’s capital Gaborone.
According to the story, Kipoi was arrested for overstaying his visit making him a prohibited immigrant. We’ve learnt that Kipoi travelled to Botswana upon his release from custody in Uganda and has been in detention since October 15th, 2020.
The Monitor Newspaper quotes Kipoi’s lawyers saying that their client was awaiting the regularization of his application for a residence permit with the Immigration Department. The lawyers also say Kipoi was meant to return to South Africa but was limited by travel restrictions.
Lawyers say their client should be released and not be extradited to Uganda because he is running away from Uganda and should be taken to South Africa, where he has citizenship. “The client has always applied for the extension of his days in the country, and has always entered the country lawfully,” Kipoi’s lawyer is quoted by The Monitor.
Lawyers have given Government an ultimatum for his conditional release, saying he isn’t guilty. Kipoi’s lawyer retired Major Ronald Iduuli who handled his treason case in Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF General Court martial told URN that he hasn’t been in contact with Kipoi since his release in September.
He explained that whenever Kipoi is out of Uganda, he is represented by a lawyer based in that country. Iduuli says he can’t get to know what is happening to Kipoi unless he initiates contact. “I didn’t know he was under custody, but I have taken a long time without talking to him, and this I am hearing for the first time,” Iduuli said.
This isn’t the first time Kipoi is being arrested in Botswana. In February 2018, Kipoi was arrested in Botswana and charged with obtaining money by false pretence as he practised witchcraft. He was extradited to Uganda in March of the same year.