Arrested pro-Mbabazi youth released on bail
Mr Adam Luzinda Buyinza (L) and Mr Omodo-Omodo (R) jubilate with their lawyers after they were granted bail in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY FAISWAL KASIRYE
What you need to know:
Free to go. They each paid Shs5 million and deposited their passports at court.
Kampala.
After spending a week on remand at Luzira Prison, two youth supporters of Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi were yesterday released on a cash bail of Shs5 million each.
The two are Mr Omodo-Omodo, 29, the NRM Youth League vice chairperson for northern region, and Mr Adam Luzindana Buyinza, 31, the NRM Youth League vice chairperson of Kampala.
The suspects, who face charges of abuse of office, were released by the Anti-Corruption Court Grade One Magistrate, Mr Michael Lagara, after they presented six substantial sureties who included Mr Mbabazi’s sister-in-law, Ms Hope Mwesigye.
The other sureties included, Ms Noami Karagendo, an advocate with Equator law advocates, Mr Dennis Namara, chairman NRM youth league and also the senior Presidential adviser on youth, Mr Godfrey Okalebo, a technical director with Multicon associates, Ms Ruhindi Evas, a director at Emira associates, and Mr Ibrahim Kasozi, a managing director at Bico engineers and contractors.
“In all, court finds merit in the bail application and hereby grants bail to each of the accused,” ruled Magistrate Lagara
“The accused should each pay a cash bail of Shs5 million and deposit their passports in court. All the sureties will each be required to execute a non-cash bond of Shs200 million and at least two of them deposit their passports with court,” the Magistrate stated.
The prosecution maintained, the duo abused their authority when they fraudulently induced and tricked the NRM and fraudulently solicited, bribed, induced its members and mobilisers into signing a petition to convene a delegate’s conference to challenge the party resolutions. They allegedly committed the crime between January and March this year.
The two made their maiden court appearance last week on Wednesday. Court denied them bail on grounds that most of their sureties apart from Ms Jacqueline Mbabazi, were not of their calibre.
Ms Mbabazi who was in court yesterday, did not stand surety for the accused as she did in the first instance.
Court ordered the suspects to return to court on May 2 for mention of their case. The prosecution led by Ms Jane Abodo told the court that investigations into the matter were not complete before asking court for more time.
Denied charges
On March 27, Mr Omodo-Omodo and Mr Adam Luzinda Buyinza were charged with corruption and remanded to Luzira prison. They, however, denied the charges of abuse of office contrary to Section 11 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.
