Mukono doctor charged with manslaughter

By Henry Nsubuga

Court in Mukono District has charged a thirty five-year old medical doctor with manslaughter.

Dr. Christopher Bingi, attached to Mukono Health Center IV, was on Wednesday presented before Mukono Chief Magistrate, Joy Kabaje Behinguza, who charged him with manslaughter.

Court heard that on October 19, Dr. Bingi with others still at large in a clinic at Nasuuti village in Mukono Municipality caused the death of a pregnant woman, Florence Nakamya, 23, and her unborn baby.

It is alleged that Bingi, while at Mukono Health Center IV, asked for sh90,000 from Nakamya to take her to his clinic and help her to deliver normally.

This came after she failed to raise sh250,000 which the midwife at the health center had asked for after examining her and finding that she was to give birth by caesarean section.

However, Bingi pleaded not guilty and submitted a bail application through his lawyer, Raymond Paul Ssebaggala.

Ssebaggala said that Bingi was arrested four days ago and in addition, he is a married man with five children ranging between one to sixteen years who need his paternal care.

He added that according to the constitution of Uganda, Bingi’s case allows him to be granted bail.

Prosecution team led by David Toskin and Hussein Nasulu Ntalo challenged Bingi’s bail application saying that his charge is a serious matter.

Toskin said that Police investigations are ongoing adding that the accused is a doctor who is a person who can easily influence the investigations. He asked for Bingi not to be granted bail until inquiries are complete.

Behinguza said that court was not ready to listen to Bingi’s bail application and asked Police to quickly finish the investigations.

She said that his case had raised public concern saying that it was not fair to grant him bail.

Behinguza asked Police to sum up the investigations within one week and remanded Bingi to Kauga Prison until October 30 when the hearing for the case will start.

She advised Bingi that he will be free to ask for bail again at the Court’s next sitting adding that he is also free to appeal to the High Court if he is not contented with her ruling.