Rev Fr Ssekabira in the dock
Masaka — The High Court in Masaka on Tuesday granted bail to Rev Fr Deusdedit Ssekabira, setting stringent financial and reporting conditions for his temporary release as he awaits trial on money laundering charges.
Justice Victoria Nakintu ruled that the priest had satisfied all the legal requirements for bail and that his proposed sureties were substantial. Fr Ssekabira, who has been in custody since December 23, was ordered to pay cash bail of Shs 15 million, while his sureties were bound by a non-cash bond of Shs 50 million.
Under the terms of the bail, Fr Ssekabira is expected to comply with all court directives and return for subsequent hearings as required. The court’s decision sparked jubilant scenes at the Masaka High Court premises, where Catholic faithful, church leaders, family members and friends broke into songs and prayers in celebration of the ruling.
Delivering her decision, Justice Nakintu noted that the accused met the necessary legal thresholds for bail, including having a fixed place of abode and credible sureties. She also observed that the prosecution was not ready to proceed with the trial, a factor that weighed in favour of granting temporary release.
Lead defence counsel Sam Ssekyewa welcomed the ruling, arguing that there was insufficient evidence at this stage to justify continued remand. “Because there was no evidence enough today to kick-start the trial, the court granted him bail,” Ssekyewa said.
He added that while the defence team had pleaded for a lower cash bail amount, they would mobilise resources to meet the Shs 15 million requirement. “We had urged the judge that the amount was a bit too high for him, but we shall try and look for the money so that he goes out,” he said.
Fr Ssekabira is facing charges of money laundering, accused of allegedly concealing Shs 500 million at Centenary Bank’s Masaka branch, contrary to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Prosecutors claim that between 2023 and 2025, he and others intentionally concealed or disguised the true ownership of funds suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The case has attracted intense national attention, particularly after the priest was reported missing in early December, with allegations that he had been taken by armed men in unmarked vehicles. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces later confirmed that he was in lawful custody and would face charges, sparking criticism from church leaders and human rights advocates.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has also weighed in on the matter, previously defending the actions of security agencies and linking Fr Ssekabira’s arrest to alleged connections with opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, framing the case within broader national security concerns.
