Sheikh Kamoga, co-accused seek bail

Jailed Tabliq leader Amir Ummah Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga has applied for bail at the Court of Appeal.

On Tuesday, Kamoga, his brother Murta Bukenya and four others applied for bail, pending hearing of his appeal case through Muwema and Company Advocates.

Other applicants are Sheiks Siraje Kawooya, Fahad Kalungi, Yusuf Kakande and Abdu Salaam Sekayanja.

On August 22, the International Crimes Division of the High Court jailed Kamoga, Bukenya, Kawooya and Kalungi for the rest of their life in prison after they were found guilty of terrorism.

Their co-convicts Kakande and Sekayanja were each jailed for 30 years.

In their bail application, Kamoga and team want to be temporarily released on bail on grounds that they are of advanced age with several ailments including ulcers and high blood pressure making their health not suitable for prison conditions.

They were arrested in January 2015, following the murder of Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga.

The applicants say that bail is their constitutional right and they have fixed places of abode and ready to attend court whenever required.

"I am a law abiding citizen who would not abscond court whenever required," Kamoga stated in his affidavit.

They also argue that their appeal case has higher chances of success.

Recently, the group petitioned the same court challenging their conviction and sentence.

But few weeks later, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) also notified the same court about their intent to appeal against their acquittal on murder charges.

Kamoga and 13 others were indicted for complicity in the murder that involved Sheikhs Bahiga and Hassan Kirya, who were killed by shooting by unknown assailants in 2014 and 2015 at Bwebajja and Bweyogerere respectively.

They were also indicted for terrorism. However, while the court cleared them all of the murder charge, it convicted Kamoga, Kawooya, Kalungi, Bukenya, Kakande and Sekayanja of terrorism.

Justice Ezekiel Muhanguzi who teamed up with Jane Kiggundu and Percy Night Tuhaise explained that they imprisoned Kamoga, Kawooya, Kalungi and Bukenya for life because they were leaders in the Muslim faith.

But, they abandoned their responsibility as leaders of the Jamiyyat Daawa Asalafiyyah in which they were expected to preach peace and guide their followers on developmental projects and livelihood but instead chose to hold various meetings during which they orchestrate hatred, murder of their colleagues in faith.

The court also explained that it was giving Sheikhs Kakande and Sekayanja 30 years in prison because they were not leaders, but just followers.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal deputy registrar in charge of criminal appeal Didas Muhumuza is yet to fix their bail application for hearing.