MASAKA.
The Masaka High Court has set August 22 to deliver a ruling on bail applications of four incarcerated civilian body guards of National Unity Platform President Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine .
The quartet including Achilleo Kivumbi, Gaddafi Mugumya, Grace Wakabi Smart and Edward Ssebuufu alias Eddie Mutwe are facing charges of aggravated robbery, robbery and malicious damage to property.
Court presided over by Masaka High Court judge lady justice Fatumah Nanziri on Thursday adjourned the matter after prosecution led by the Masaka Resident Director of Public Prosecution Brian Kalinaki told court that State wanted time to verify the sureties the defense lawyers had presented to court for the accused persons.
Court heard that some of the sureties presented to court for almost all the four accused persons had issues with their National Identity Cards and introduction letters from their places abode which made court to adjourn the matter to allow the prosecution to verify whether the sureties presented to court are substantial.
Mr Kalinaki told court that the sureties presented either lacked original National Identity Cards and LC 1 introduction letters and it was hard to determine if they were residents of the said areas.
The defense lawyers however led by Samuel Muyizzi told court that they were to present to court introduction letters and National Identity Cards of the sureties and accused persons before the ruling date asking court not base on the assumptions by state that the presented sureties may not be substantial to deny the accused persons their cardinal rights of getting bail.
“We think the sureties we have presented are substantial, the few subsidiary issues like introduction letters from village chairpersons , and IDS which we have been allowed to submit later , but those are not cardinal fundamental requirements for granting them bail, we believe if justice is to prevail they will be granted bail, we pray court look at them not as NUP members ,but as any other Ugandan, ”he said
Justice Nanziri however said the defense lawyers seemed unready for the bail application hearing despite having had all the time since the hearing was prepared to have the required documents ready.
She however adjourned the matter to 22 August when the court is expected to give its ruling on the matter.
The accused persons were further remanded at Masaka Main Prison until then.
Shamim Malende ,Kampala District Woman MP and one of the lawyers of the accused however advised people that intend to stand as sureties to always carry their proper identification documents to save courts time and make the process of bail application easier.
She however raised concern over the prosecution’s prayers to have the case fixed for hearing yet they are aware that the court is operating a very tight schedule which has made it hard even to have a bail application fixed for hearing.
Ms Malende was replying to the submissions by prosecution that the accused persons if granted bail may interfere with the state witnesses, hence asking court to fix the matter for hearing given the gravity of the offences the accused persons are facing.
“The accused persons were committed to High Court and this implies that investigations into the matter had been completed, so which evidence will the accused persons interfere with?,” she asked .
Prosecution alleges that on May 18 ,2024, the quartet robbed a green sweater, mobile phone (Camon12) valued at Shs 730,000 from a Masaka based female journalist Margret Kayondo of Radio Simba.
The accused persons are said to have used deadly weapons, such as sharp knives and sticks during the robbery.
Records before court also indicate that immediately after the robbery , the same people assaulted Zainab Namusaazi of Next Media Group and in the scuffle the latter’s video camera worth Shs 1.5m was reportedly smashed.
The incident reportedly occurred at Manja Village in Kisekka Sub County in Lwengo District, where journalists had gone to cover the burial of UK based businessman Pascal Ssekasamba, who died of heart- related complications last year.
Court record also shows that the same group allegedly stole shs. 200,000 from Rogers Mulungi, and John Mukalaazi-both local residents in Lwengo , in addition to assaulting Drake Lubega and Haruna Ssekitto, whose mobile phones were also stolen at the same function.