Suspected lesbian head teacher‘s partner gets bail

The alleged Lesbian Partner of PMM Girl’s School in Jinja City, Ms Lydia Mukodha‘s partner has finally been released on bail.
Jinja Grade One Magistrate, Ms Agnes Musiime, on May 9 granted Ms Mukodha and her alleged partner Ms Martha Naigaga a cash bail of Shs500,000 each and non-cash bail of Shs300,000 for their sureties .
However, Mukodha failed to raise a cash bail of Shs500,000 for her alleged lesbian partner Naigaga, who had to remain under custody until today.
The duo faces charges of gross indecency and procurement of gross indecency following their arrest on March 3 after parents stormed the school, alleging that they were promoting lesbianism.
In her ruling, Ms Musiime said, the suspects had already spent 60 days on remand and it was their constitutional right to be released.
While Ms Mukodha, was able to post her cash bail with two sureties who were her biological father and brother, Naigaga was unable to pay cash and an introductory letter from her village chairperson.
However,  a team of lawyers from the Women's Probono Initiative (WPI) headed by Ms Primah Kwagala today (Thursday) intervened to rescue her after spending 22 days at Kirinya Prison for failing to meet the bail conditions.
“I’m here on behalf of Ms Naigaga, although she was granted bail in May but had no sureties. I also ask for the review of the amount that was granted because she has no money and she was dealing in petty business at the time of her arrest. She has also never been issued a National Identity Card but the grandmother has,’’ she said.
Naigaga’s maternal grandmother, Ms Alice Mwase, 75, a retired Midwife from Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, also a resident of Mafubira in Jinja City was presented in Court as her surety.
The State Prosecutor, Ms Florence Kataike said she had no objection to their request. She was then granted a cash bail of Shs200,000.
“The bail cash has been reduced from Shs500,000 to Shs200,000 and since the surety is also substantial. I have released her,” she said.
Ms Musiime adjourned  hearing of the case to June 15 after Ms Kwagala informed the court that she was still studying the case.
Although the magistrate reviewed the bail cash, the family was unable to clear Shs200,000 so that Ms Naigaga could be released.
“I’m financially incapacitated, even the transport from Mafubira to Jinja Court was just given to me. Ms Mukodha is supposed to contribute some money because she forced my granddaughter into lesbianism. She told us that she got married. We didn't know that she got married to a fellow woman,” Ms Mwase told this publication after the court session.
However, Ms Kwagala through Women's Probono Initiative deposited Shs200,000 for the suspect to be released.
President Yoweri Museveni last Friday finally signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023 into law after it was passed by Parliament recently where anyone who is convicted faces life imprisonment, among other tough penalties.