news 29 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Court Orders Security Forces to Produce Missing Ministry Official
The High Court in Kampala has issued a writ of habeas corpus demanding that security agencies produce Duncan Keith Ayebare, a Ministry of Education and Sports official, who has been missing since February 13, 2026. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/police-army-ordered-to-produce-ministry-official-abducted-in-february-5478014
Justice Joyce Kavuma has ordered key security figures, including the Chief of Defence Forces, the Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, and the Inspector General of Police, to present Mr. Duncan Keith Ayebare before the High Court on June 2nd.
Mr. Ayebare, a technical advisor at the Ministry of Education and Sports, has been allegedly detained illegally and incommunicado for over three months. His family filed a habeas corpus application, seeking his immediate production in court if lawful grounds for his detention cannot be demonstrated.
The application details that Mr. Ayebare was allegedly abducted by armed plain-clothed men on February 13, 2026, while attending a meeting at Gayaza Junior School. His family and legal representatives have been unable to ascertain his whereabouts since his disappearance.
Evidence presented to the court indicated that Mr. Ayebare briefly returned home on February 14th under heavy military escort before being taken away again. A caretaker at his residence confirmed his short visit, noting he asked for his dogs to be looked after and mentioned an imminent return.
The Uganda Police Force has denied any involvement in Mr. Ayebare’s arrest or detention, stating that searches of police custody records yielded no information about him.
Lawyers for the state raised preliminary objections, questioning the identification of the alleged arresting officers and arguing that the habeas corpus application was filed too late to warrant urgency. However, Ayebare’s legal team countered that security agencies, particularly the CDF and CDIS, had not formally denied holding Mr. Ayebare.
Justice Kavuma found that security agencies had failed to provide satisfactory explanations for Mr. Ayebare’s disappearance and detention. The court noted the presence of armed men linked to state security agencies and the lack of any formal charges against Mr. Ayebare, deeming the continued detention a violation of constitutional rights.