NUP Bobi Young’s sureties not substantial — State

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Prosecutors from the office of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Director of Prosecutions have objected to National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi’s bodyguard Anthony Agaba aka Bobi Young’s bail application.

Bobi Young, 31, who has been in custody since June 24, 2024, is battling one count of unlawful possession of defence stores contrary to Sections 160 (1) and (2) (C) of the UPDF Act, 2005.

Responding to his bail application before the General Court Martial (GCM) at Makindye in Kampala, Captain Gift Mubehamwe told the court not to release Bobi Young on bail, saying his (applicant) sureties are not substantial.

“We object to the applicant’s bail application on grounds that he will interfere with state witnesses which would jeopardise the hearing of the case, and he is likely not to comply and abide by bail terms and conditions,” Mubehamwe said on Monday (October 21, 2024).

Mubehamwe based his averments on an affidavit sworn by RO/1378 Lt. Elly Musinguzi, an officer from the Directorate of Prosecutions, Joint Staff Legal Services of the UPDF.

Musinguzi, according to the prosecution is also an investigator at the Special Investigations Branch of Chieftaincy of Defence Intelligence and Security, and he participated in the investigations of Bobi Young’s case before court.

Bobi Young’s sureties included his friends: Ian Lwanga and Ivan Ssegujja, 22, whom the state said was too young to compel the 31-year-old Bobi Young to return to court.

However, defence lawyers George Musisi, Benjamin Katana, and Shamim Malende, also Kampala District Woman MP (NUP) refuted the state averments, insisting, their client could not in any way interfere with state witnesses, who are not even known by them.

“My lord, there is no law in Uganda, and world over that bars 22-year-olds from standing surety of any suspect. So, we retaliate our earlier prayer that you find all our sureties substantial, and release the applicant on bail,” submitted Musisi.

The prosecution alleges that on May 23, 2024, at around 1100 hours, while at Mutungo Zone III, Nakawa division in Kampala district, Bobi Young was found in unlawful possession of UPDF pips for the rank of Major General, which is gazetted Defence Forces.

GCM chairperson Brig. Gen. Robert Freeman Mugabe adjourned the case to October 30, 2024, for bail ruling.