Ingrid Turinawe out on bail

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Women's League chairperson, Ingrid Turinawe, was granted bail before she staged a protest at the Buganda Road Court.

Grade One Magistrate Stella Amabilis granted Turinawe bail after spending two weeks on remand over charges of common nuisance and assaulting a Police officer. 

Upon granting the activist a cash bail of sh800,000, Amabilis said Turinawe was to be remanded back to Luzira on default.

"The accused has presented substantial sureties whom prosecution did not even object to. She is hereby bonded sh800,000 cash and her three sureties, sh10m each, non-cash.

The national identity cards of all sureties are to be retained by this court till completion of this matter. You can however officially request for it if in need of it but return it after," Amabilis said.

However, the ruling did not please Turinawe prompting her to protest and ask what all the money was meant for. 

"Now what is all that money for?" Turinawe shouted at the magistrate. 

It is then that the magistrate ordered the defence counsels Julius Galisonga and Isaac Ssemakadde to advise their client otherwise. 

"Counsel Ssemakadde, advise and tell your client to keep quiet, I have not yet finished my proceedings and she is shouting. This is my court. Keep quiet and I do my work or else I will close your file and remand you again," Amabilis ordered.

Among those who stood surety for Turinawe was FDC president Patrick Oboi Amuriat. Rukungiri Municipality MP Roland Mugume and Olive Namazzi, the Kyambogo councillor. 

The state prosecutors Patricia Cingatho and Miriam Njuki did not object to the sureties but requested the court to put stringent terms for the accused to compel her return to court. 

The prosecution alleges that on August 4, 2019, at Central Police Station in Kampala, Turinawe did an act that caused annoyance or inconvenienced the public in the exercise of her leading to the conclusion that she was a common nuisance. 

She is also accused of assaulting detective sergeant Patrick Alunyu thereby occasioning him bodily harm. 

The case was adjourned to September 3, 2019, for hearing.