Court Orders Security Agencies to Produce Missing Musician ‘King Zale’

KAMPALA — The High Court has ordered Uganda’s security agencies to produce missing musician and civilian Gody Christopher, popularly known as King Zale, after finding sufficient grounds to believe he may be in state custody following his alleged abduction in Kampala.

In a ruling delivered on May 29, 2026, Justice Joyce Kavuma issued a writ of habeas corpus directing six government entities, including the Attorney General, the Special Forces Command (SFC), the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the Uganda Police Force, the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), and Defence Intelligence and Security, to produce King Zale before the High Court on June 5, 2026.

The application was filed by Nakiwala Lillian on behalf of the missing man after he allegedly disappeared on the night of April 21, 2026.

According to court records, King Zale was reportedly seized by armed men near the Firebase offices in Kamwokya at around 8:30 p.m. Witness accounts presented to court alleged that six men, some dressed in military uniforms and others in civilian clothing, intercepted a vehicle in which he was travelling before forcibly bundling him into a Toyota Hiace commonly known as a “drone.”

The applicant told court that subsequent efforts to locate him at Wandegeya, Kawempe and Kira Road police stations were unsuccessful and that he had neither been charged before any court nor released.

In response, the Uganda Police Force denied having any record of King Zale’s arrest or detention.

Through Detective Corporal Obed Nankunda, police informed court that checks conducted through detention registers, occurrence books and other police systems found no evidence that the missing man was being held in any recognized police facility.

Police lawyers also challenged the application on technical grounds, arguing that key parts of the supporting affidavit were based on hearsay because the alleged eyewitness, identified as Mukisa Hussein, had not personally sworn an affidavit.

However, Justice Kavuma rejected that objection, ruling that the deponent had properly disclosed the source of her information as required under Uganda’s civil procedure rules.

“The deponent disclosed the source of information,” the judge ruled, dismissing the challenge to the affidavit.

The court further noted that while police had denied holding King Zale, the other security agencies named in the application — including SFC, UPDF, ISO and Defence Intelligence — did not file any responses denying the allegations.

Justice Kavuma held that in cases involving alleged unlawful detention, a court may draw adverse inferences where serious allegations remain unanswered.

“The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th respondents did not file a response to deny the above allegations,” she observed.

The judge also questioned why investigations into the disappearance appeared to have been confined to police systems despite allegations that military and intelligence personnel may have been involved.

“The deponent of the affidavit in reply only averred to the investigations that were done by the 4th respondent and no explanation has been offered on why there were no investigations in other security agencies,” Justice Kavuma stated.

The court further noted that no evidence had been presented showing progress in investigations into the missing person report that had earlier been filed at police.

In one of the strongest findings in the ruling, Justice Kavuma concluded that the applicant had provided enough evidence to justify judicial intervention.

“The person who deponed the affidavit has been able to convince court that she has reason to believe that the missing person is in the custody of the respondents and the continued detention of the applicant by the respondents’ agents is unjustified,” the judge ruled.

She added that there was no evidence showing that King Zale was being lawfully held or had been charged with any offence.

The court consequently issued a writ of habeas corpus ad subjiciendum, ordering the respondents to produce King Zale before the Civil Division of the High Court on June 5 at 11:00 a.m.

The case highlights growing judicial scrutiny over allegations of enforced disappearances and incommunicado detention, issues that have periodically generated public concern in Uganda, particularly where families claim that missing persons were last seen being taken away by armed security operatives.

A writ of habeas corpus is one of the most powerful legal remedies available under Uganda’s Constitution and common law traditions, requiring authorities to produce a detained person before court and justify the legality of their detention.

Failure to comply can expose state officials to further legal sanctions and constitutional proceedings.

The respondents are now expected to appear before the High Court on Thursday and account for the whereabouts of the missing musician.

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