Drama as court sends Besigye back to prison
Dr Kizza Besigye and Mr Samuel Lubega Mukaku (centre) with their lawyer Erias Lukwago (right) in Buganda Road Court on June 15, 2022. PHOTO / ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- This was after the magistrate said it was too late to grant bail to the Opposition leader.
A joint deployment of police and Military Police was visible at Buganda Road Court as dozens of people awaited the production of political activist Dr Kizza Besigye on charges of inciting violence.
Before the court session at around 5pm, the security personnel erected several checkpoints from Central Police Station Kampala to the court and started restricting people seeking to enter the court premises.
At about 5.30pm, security personnel dressed in civilian clothes, some Members of Parliament, lawyers and other officials from Forum for Democratic Change party sat in Room 4 at Buganda Road Court and waited for the magistrate to read charges against the accused persons; Dr Besigye and Mr Samuel Lubega Mukaku.
At exactly 5.56pm, Magistrate Asuman Muhumuza entered the court room and read the charges to the accused persons.
“Court heard that on June 14, 2022, at Nakivubo in Central Division, Kampala, Besigye, without lawful excuse at an assembly made statements to the members of the public, indicating or implying that it would be desirable to demonstrate, an act which was reportedly calculated to lead to destruction or damage to property,” Mr Muhumuza read.
He later rejected the bail application for the accused persons, reasoning that it was past court time.
But this was met with protests from supporters of the accused persons, including the defence team led by Mr Erias Lukwago
“Your worship, I pray you listen to us before a decision is taken,” Mr Lukwago told the magistrate.
However, his plea fell on deaf ears as Mr Muhumuza adjourned the matter to June 17 and remanded the accused to Luzira prison.
Speaking to this publication after the court session, Lukwago said the magistrate should not have handled the case if he knew it was late.
“I will forward a complaint to the Judicial Service Commission over the magistrate’s conduct,” he said.
Dr Besigye was arrested on Tuesday from downtown Kampala while protesting against high commodity prices and taken to Nagalama Police Station in Mukono District.
This was the second time Buganda Road Court was remanding Dr Besigye in a period of less than a month on similar charges.
He is expected to appear before the same court today on the first case of inciting violence for which he was given court bail last week.
Besigye’s issue
Dr Kizza Besigye, the leader of the People’s Transition Group, is attempting to mobilise Ugandans to rise up against the high cost of living, which he says is affecting vulnerable citizens. Dr Besigye also wants government to cut down on what he calls extravagant expenditure.
