Court dismisses Bobi Wine case against police over blocked concerts

The High Court in Kampala on Friday declined to prohibit police from blocking and interfering with music concerts for Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine.

Through his lawyers of Rwakafuuzi & Co. Advocates, Bobi Wine took the then KMP commander Frank Mwesigwa and government to court seeking for Shs300 million in compensation for the cancelled concerts in Mukono, Kamuli, Kasese and Kampala.

He also argued that police acted illegal when they restricted his movements within the country and stopped his various shows adding that his rights to work and earn a living had been violated.

Judgement

On Friday, Justice Herrieta Woloyo dismissed the case saying there was no evidence to prove the singer’s claims.

In a judgment issued in the presence of only Bobi Wine’s lawyer Luyimbaazi Nalukoola and the representative of the state, the High Court judge said the musician turned politician failed to prove how the banned music shows violated his rights to work, freedom of assembly, association and speech among other freedoms.

The judge also noted that the court could not rule that Bobi Wine’s freedom was violated because the content of what he was going to sing or say at the said concerts was not known to police.

Background

In an October 17, 2017 police letter, then Kampala Metropolitan police commander Frank Mwesigwa said he had cancelled Bobi Wine’s show at Colline Hotel in Mukono because the MP had uttered words that were inciting the public at a previous concert at One Love Beach in Busabala.

Mr Mwesigwa said, Bobi Wine had failed to differentiate between Bobi Wine, the musician and Robert Kyagulanyi the MP.

“We want him to know that there is a difference between Bobi Wine and Hon Robert Kyagulanyi, we have noticed that Bobi Wine has been turning into Hon Kyagulanyi to make political statements at Music shows, that’s not what we agreed upon,” Mr Mwesigwa said.

He also said that Bobi Wine had turned his Busabala concert, into a political rally when he asked revelers about their views on the age limit bill.

However, in his suit, the singer cum legislator said it was wrong for his right to liberties of movement, to work and also earn a living to be violated by police.

Bobi Wine also sought for prohibition orders against the Attorney General and the then Kampala Metropolitan police commander Frank Mesigwa whom he accused of threatening to end his music career by interfering with his stage performances.

Meanwhile, Police recently blocked Bobi Wine’s Kyarenga extra concert at Busabala on Easter Monday saying he had breached security guidelines at a previous concert at the same venue.