Suspected magistrate attackers granted bail

KAMPALA - Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court has granted bail to six people accused of attacking Grade One Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu while sentencing Stella Nyanzi to nine months in jail over cyber harassment.



The bailed are Simon Wanyera, Abdullah Waiswa, Augustine Ojobile, Joel Kabali, Fatuma Abenabyo, and Moses Katumba.

The accused, who have spent two weeks on remand, are battling with four counts of inciting violence, contempt of court, malicious damage to property and common assault.

Following the successful bail application on Friday, the Grade One Grade Magistrate Stella Amabilis said the six accused presented two sureties each, of whom all court found to be substantial.

"On presenting substantial sureties to this court, the accused are hereby bonded a sh300, 000 cash bond and on default, they should be remanded back to Luzira Prisons till the next hearing date," Amabilis ruled.

"And the sureties are bonded sh3m non-cash each," she added.

Defence lawyer Erias Lukwago chats with the President of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Patrick Amuriat at the court. Photo Ramadhan Abbey

 
The state attorneys Miriam Njuki and Patricia Cingatho informed the court that investigations in the matter were complete and sought for a hearing date.

"Your worship, investigations are complete and we pray that the case is fixed for hearing," Njuki submitted.

Meanwhile, the defence counsels Isaac Ssemakadde (stood in brief for Erias Lukwago) requested court to scrap away the charge of incitement to violence and contempt of court.

They informed the court that the two alleged offences are framed which contravenes section 88(0) of the Magistrates Courts Act.

This prompted the trial magistrate to adjourn the case to September 23, 2019, for hearing and state response to the defence.

The prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large on August 2, 2019, at Buganda Road Court incited court audience to do an act of violence against her worship Gladys Kamasanyu by reason of her office.

The accused also, within the premises of the court in which a judicial proceeding was being heard, showed disrespect in speech manner to reference of the said proceeding and the magistrate presiding by abusing her (Kamasanyu) with obscene words to wit that she is smelling like a vagina, throwing of a bottle of mineral water to the magistrate and making noise in court.

It is also alleged that Kabali, Wanyera, Abenabyo, and others still at large unlawfully damaged or destroyed walk detector machine, the property of Buganda Road Court.

Prosecution adds that Abenabyo on the same date commonly assaulted her worship Kamasanyu an act contrary to section 235 of the Penal Code Act.