The wife of Simon Kakaire, Gen. Salim Saleh's executive assistant, has been remanded to Kigo Prison after she failed to arraign her husband in court.

Resty Nakyobe was on Tuesday remanded on the grounds that she failed to forfeit sh10m to the General Court Martial (GCM) she was bonded as she stood surety for her husband or arraigned him in court.

Kakaire, 37, including ex-Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers and security guard instructors, are accused of allegedly plotting to overthrow the Government.

“You stood surety for your husband, Kakaire and you accepted all this court’s conditions that were attached to his bail application.

Therefore, since you have failed to return him to court as promised or forfeiting sh10m, I hereby order you be remanded to Kigo Prisons,” GCM chairperson Brig. Gen. Freeman Mugabe ruled.

He added that Nakyobe will only be released if she forfeits sh10m or tells the state where the accused, also her husband Kakaire is.

Kakaire and his co-accused were on April 27, 2021, arraigned before the GCM at Makindye in Kampala, charged with treachery and have since been granted bail.

His co-accused include ex-UPDF officers Sgt (Rtd) Aramathan Mabanda, 46, an instructor at Saracen Security Company and Cpl (Rtd) Naboth Turyahebwa, 50, Cpl (Rtd) Frank Twahirwa, 47, both formerly attached to the Military Police.

Others are Polline Kabengano, 32, Daniel Bright Byansi, 26, a resident of Magere Central division, Wilson Asiimwe, 46, a barber, and Rashid Kaswiriri, 59, a teacher residing at Lubiri village, Rubaga division in Kampala district.

Arrest the sureties

Nakyobe’s arrest and remand were prompted by the prosecution’s request, which told the court to have sureties arrested or forfeit the sh10m they were bonded.

“My Lord chairman and honourable court members, it will be a bad precedence if the surety is left to go yet she promised to always make sure that the accused will always be in court. If she can’t tell where the accused is or bring him here, let her forfeit sh10m. But if even bond money is not with her, we pray she is arrested,” Lt Alex Mukhana requested the court.

Other prosecutors on the case included Lt Gift Mubehamwe, privates Regina Nanzala and Anthony Phillip Olupot.

Meanwhile, lawyers Capt. Nsubuga Busagwa and Elizabeth Nyasigwa represented the accused and the case was adjourned to April 4, 2023.

Charges

The prosecution alleges that Kakaire, Mabanda, Turyahebwa, Twahirwa, Kabengano, Byansi, Asiimwe, Kaswiriri and others still at large, between July 2020 and January 27, 2021, within Kampala Capital City Authority in Kampala district, with intent to prejudice the security of Uganda, consciously withheld from the proper authority’s vital information to wit; a plot to overthrow the Government of Uganda.

The charge contravenes sections 129 (d) of the UPDF Act no. 07/05 and carries a maximum sentence of death, upon conviction.