The accused before the court on Friday. PHOTO URN
KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | The Kawempe Grade One Magistrate Court has granted bail to 23 supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP). The supporters were arrested on Monday and charged with damaging a police vehicle, disrupting traffic flow, and common nuisance.
They were arrested at the NUP offices in Makerere Kavule, where NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine) and other political leaders were leading a procession to a rally for Elias Nalukoola, the party’s candidate in the Kawempe North by-election.
The court proceedings were disrupted when one of the suspects, Olivia Katende, collapsed before the bail application hearing. An ambulance was quickly summoned, and she was rushed to the hospital. Despite the disruption, the court continued with the hearing, presided over by Magistrate William Muwonge.
One of the suspects’ lawyers, Benjamin Katana, sought the release of his clients, citing minor charges and the need for urgent medical attention due to their violent arrest. However, the prosecution objected, stating that the accused lacked evidence of torture and their securities failed to provide proper documentation.
The court ultimately granted bail to the accused, observing that visible signs of torture were evident on some of them. The accused are scheduled to return to court on March 18, 2025, for a further hearing of their case.
Following the ruling, other defense lawyers, including Samuel Muyizi, said that they intend to file an application requesting the court to dismiss the case.
“We will exhaust all avenues to secure their complete freedom. To that end, we will submit a formal application. Fortunately, we have secured their release, and we will take them to the hospital to gather further evidence. Notably, the court’s ruling acknowledged that some of the accused were tortured, and one of them had to be rushed to the hospital,” Muyizi stated.
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