MASAKA.
Three civilian body guards of National Unity Platform (NUP) principal Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine will be tried in the High Court after prosecution finalized investigations.
Achileo Kivumbi, Gaddafi Mugumya, and Grace Wakabi Smart who have been behind bars at Masaka Main Prison since March 25 are facing six counts of robbery and malicious damage to property.
Masaka Chief Magistrate Abudallah Kayiza on Wednesday read out the charges to the trio and forwarded their file to the High Court.
According to the State prosecutor Michael Wakosese , the Director of Public Prosecution has sufficient evidence to prosecute the trio.
Prosecution alleges that the trio, on May 18, 2024, robbed a Masaka-based female journalist, Ms Margret Kayondo, who works for Radio Simba. The items stolen, including a green sweater and a mobile phone (Camon12), were valued at Shs730,000.
The accused are said to have used deadly weapons, such as sharp knives and sticks, during the robbery. The court also heard that immediately following the robbery, the trio assaulted Ms Zainab Namusaazi, another Masaka-based female correspondent for NBS TV . In the ensuing scuffle, Namusaazi’s video camera, worth Shs1.5 million, was reportedly smashed.
The incident allegedly happened at Manja Village, Kisekka Sub County in Lwengo District, where the journalists had been covering a funeral for UK-based businessman Pascal Ssekasamba, who died of heart-related complications last year. The late Ssekasamba was the younger brother of former Democratic Party (DP) Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga, who died in 2016.
Court records show that the victims were caught up in a scuffle when Kyagulanyi’s bodyguards attempted to block Journalists from covering the funeral proceedings.
The accused further allegedly stole Shs200, 000 from Rodgers Mulungi and John Mukalaazi, in addition to assaulting Drake Lubega and Haruna Ssekitto, whose mobile phones were reportedly stolen at the same funeral.