Former Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura has sharply criticised the court’s handling of detained lawyer Erias Lukwago’s bail application, describing the decision to delay the case as “devastating” in light of his deteriorating health.
In a statement issued after Lukwago’s emotional court appearance on Tuesday, Nyanjura said she was deeply disturbed by footage showing the lawyer visibly frail and pleading for mercy.
She questioned the court’s response after Lukwago appealed for bail to seek urgent medical care, warning that his condition could be fatal without intervention.
“I can’t sleep. The video of a visibly frail and distressed Erias Lukwago begging for mercy keeps replaying in my head,” Nyanjura said. “Hearing him desperately plead for palliative care just to die a painless death is completely shattering.”
During the court session, Lukwago told the magistrate that medical specialists at Mulago National Referral Hospital had advised urgent treatment, which he said could not be adequately accessed while in detention.
He described his condition as a “death sentence” and appealed to be released on humanitarian grounds.
Nyanjura criticised the court for postponing the matter for ten days, arguing that the delay could worsen Lukwago’s health.
She questioned how judicial officers could ignore what she termed as “unbearable pain” presented before them in open court.
“It is devastating to watch a human being beg for basic dignity and medical mercy while in absolute agony,” she said. “I truly wonder how the magistrate who witnessed his pain and ignored his cries can sleep peacefully after delaying his case.”
The remarks have intensified public debate around the treatment of detainees requiring urgent medical attention, with rights advocates calling for authorities to prioritise access to healthcare within the justice system.