Punched Magistrate: Accused charged with assault, remanded

Fred Kyaligonza (holding a black polythene bag) accused of assaulting the Masindi Chief Magistrate on Wednesday being taken to prison on Thursday evening after being remanded. PHOTO BY ISMAIL BATEGEKA

What you need to know:

  • He was slapped with fresh charges of assault, occasioning bodily harm and contempt of court.
  • Fred Kyaligonza denied the charges against him.

Court in Masindi has remanded a man accused of punching and injuring the Chief Magistrate, Catherine Agwero on Wednesday during a court session.
Fred Kyaligonza lost his cool and punched the magistrate after being convicted of failure to pay a debt of Shs4.8 million to a one Mr James Magadua, a Masindi-based businessman.

He is said to have been angered by the court ruling read to him Ms Agwero before pouncing on her.
After the attack, the magistrate was rushed to a clinic in Masindi town for treatment while the accused was re-arrested from court and taken to police. He on Thursday arraigned in court to face fresh charges of assault, causing bodily harm to a court officer and contempt of court by disobeying lawful orders.

READ:

Convict beats up Chief Magistrate in court

Ms Agwero was saved from the raging Kyaligonza by prison warders

He appeared before Grade I Magistrate, Daniel Mwesigwa who remanded him.
Prosecution led by resident senior state attorney, Mr Stanley Baine said “The accused while in the courtroom before the Chief Magistrate, willfully and willingly interrupted court proceedings by beating up the Chief Magistrate, Ms Catherine Agwero while in court session”

The State attorney asked court to set the day for hearing the accused´s case saying that the state has gathered enough evidence.
Kyaligonza pleaded not guilty on all the charges and was remanded to Masindi prison until January 9 for hearing.


How it happened
Drama unfolded in Masindi court on Wednesday when Kyaligonza’s file was the first to be read by the Court clerk in which he is accused of failing to pay the said debt.

Kyaligonza, a former Clinical officer at Masindi District Local Government went into the dock and listened attentively as the hearing proceeded.
Court ruled that Mr Kyaligonza had defaulted paying the money to the creditor and he was given an option of either paying Shs4.8 million or be imprisoned for six months.

In response to the sentence, Kyaligonza shouted at the sentencing magistrate saying: “I’m not going to prison. I will show you.”
In what was described as a urprise attack, he reportedly jumped from the wooden dock and ran towards the Chief magistrate who was seated about two metres away from the dock and started punching her on the head.

The magistrate reportedly sustained injuries on her head and mouth.

The court session ended prematurely, according to eye witnesses as the presiding magistrate was rushed to Kitara medical centre for medication.

The Chief magistrate has been transported to Kampala for further medication.