______________

KAMPALA - State prosecutors have told court not to grant bail to National Unity Platform’s (NUP) Martin Muwanga, saying he will interfere with investigations.

Muwanga, 37, the LC III councillor for Nabaziza-Kyengera in Wakiso district and affiliated to the opposition NUP, is in detention at Kitalya Prison battling charges of unlawful possession of defence stores before the General Court Martial.

The charge contravenes sections 160 (1) and (2) (C) of the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces Act, 2005and attracts a maximum imprisonment sentence of ten years, upon conviction.

Responding to his bail application on Monday (April 15, 2024), the state prosecutor Lt Alex Mukhwana objected to the applicant’s bail application.

He based his averments on an affidavit of Lt Elly Musinguzi, an investigator at the Special Investigations Branch Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence in Kampala, who said he investigated the accused arrest and that his release may interfere with their pending investigations.

“The applicant is likely to interfere with state witnesses once granted bail, we, therefore, invite court to dismiss the bail application,” Mukhwana told the court.

In response, defence lawyer George Musisi told court that the state had not objected to the substantiality of the applicant’s sureties nor his torture averments during his arrest.

“My lord chairman, the applicant has no capacity to interfere with the alleged witnesses whom he even does not know, we therefore, pray that court considers granting the applicant bail,” the accused’s lawyer said.

This prompted the GCM chairman, Brig. Gen Robert Freeman Mugabe to adjourn the case to April 23, 2024, for bail ruling.

Prosecution alleges that on January 26, 2024, while at Nazzaziza Cell, Kyengera Town Council in Wakiso district, Muwanga was found in unlawful possession of a military body armour, which is a gazette of the Defence Forces store.