Besigye released on bail

By Vision Reporters

FORUM for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate retired Col. Kizza Besigye was yesterday released on bail by High Court Judge John Bosco Katutsi.

He left at 3:30pm aboard a Pajero sending FDC supporters into joy as they flashed their
V-sign.

Immediately the judge left the courtroom, supporters swamped Besigye in the dock and shook his hands.

Prison warders tried to push him back to the cells but were stopped by his lawyer Yusuf Nsibambi. The lawyers guided Besigye, who was walking hand-in-hand with his wife Winnie Byanyima, to Assistant Registrar Paul Gadenya’s office to sign the release papers.

Katutsi said, “If sanity is to be regained, the applicant must be given his freedom to be on bail as granted by the Principal Judge.”

Principal Judge James Ogoola granted Besigye bail but the military court refused to release him, although it said it had complied with the High Court’s order to stop trying him.

Yesterday, Katutsi said, “The total sum of my holding is that the continued detention of the applicant (Besigye) at Luzira is illegal and unlawful. He should be released forthwith unless held on other lawful orders. Applicant will get the costs of this application. I order accordingly.”

Katutsi, who gave detailed definitions of the words “to stay” and to “adjourn”, said, “If you have stayed proceedings against the applicant, what right do you have to purport to extend his warrant on remand.”