Masaka, Uganda | URN | The High Court in Masaka has granted bail to four bodyguards of National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, who are facing charges of aggravated robbery, malicious damage to property and assault.
Masaka Senior Resident Judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba on Wednesday granted each of the accused cash bail of five million shillings and ordered their sureties to execute non-cash bonds of 50 million shillings each.
The accused are Achilleo Kivumbi, Edward Ssebuwuufu alias Eddie Mutwe, Grace Wakabi alias Smart-wa Bobi and Gadhafi Mugumya.
The court also ordered the four to surrender their passports and report to the Deputy High Court Registrar on the first Monday of every month.
The four have been on remand over offences they allegedly committed in May 2024 during a scuffle at the burial of UK-based businessman Pascal Ssekasamba in Kisekka Sub-county, Lwengo District.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly assaulted and damaged a video camera belonging to Zainabu Namusaazi, a journalist with Next Media Group, and shattered a smartphone belonging to Margret Kayondo, a correspondent with Radio Ssimba.
They are also accused of stealing two other smartphones worth 200,000 shillings and causing grievous bodily harm to three people during the incident.
The accused applied for bail for the second time through their lawyers led by Elias Luyimabazi Nalukoola.
The lawyers argued that their clients had spent a prolonged period on remand without trial, and that some had dependants, including children, who were suffering in their absence.
They also told the court that Wakabi has a sick mother who requires his care.
Nalukoola said the accused were ready to face trial but had been waiting for the prosecution to begin presenting witnesses.
Each of the accused presented three sureties, including NUP Members of Parliament, local government leaders and relatives.
Judge Katamba, however, noted that the Masaka High Court has no jurisdiction over any other charges the accused may be facing before other courts.
NUP has said the four may not all be released despite the Masaka bail ruling because some are facing separate charges before the High Court in Kawempe.
Florence Namayanja, the Masaka City Mayor, said the party would launch a fundraising campaign to raise the 20 million shillings required for the four to meet their cash bail conditions.
A statement issued by NUP said Gadhafi Mugumya and Grace Wakabi would be released if the bail money was paid, while Kivumbi and Ssebuwuufu would remain in Luzira Prison because of the separate case before the Kawempe High Court.
The statement described the other case as a charge of “unlawful drilling” and disputed the legality of their continued detention.
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