Lukwago’s polling agents charged
Feb 25, 2011
FOURTY-six polling agents of Kampala mayoral candidate Erias Lukwago were yesterday charged with holding unlawful assembly.
By Andante Okanya
FOURTY-six polling agents of Kampala mayoral candidate Erias Lukwago were yesterday charged with holding unlawful assembly.
They were arrested on Tuesday at about 3:00am at Kaasi Club in Bwaise, a Kampala suburb.
Most of them are residents of Mukono district.
The agents were charged late in the afternoon before Chief Magistrate Joy Bahanguza at Nabweru Magistrates’ Court.
They were represented by Uthman Abubaker Mulindwa, and Medard Ssegona.
Prosecution led by Gladys Nyanzi said the agents assembled “with intent to conduct themselves in a manner that caused fear in the neighbourhood.â€
It further reported that the people in the neighbourhood feared that the accused would “breach peace†with such an assembly.
The agents denied the charges.
The prosecutor told court that the charge was simply a holding charge “as investigations continue to get a proper charge†against them.
But their lawyers protested, and applied for bail, saying the charge is speculative. They said the suspects were entitled to be freed by court on bail.
The lawyers produced five sureties for all the accused but the Chief Magistrate rejected their bail application, saying each of the suspects should produce a surety.
She remanded them until March 14 but did not sign a remand warrant because she was whisked away by the Police at about 5:30pm after the situation at the court became tense.
Prisons officials declined to take the suspects to Luzira Prison without the mandatory remand warrant, saying it would amount to breaking the law.
The suspects were returned to Kawempe Police Station. They are expected to appear in court today.
FOURTY-six polling agents of Kampala mayoral candidate Erias Lukwago were yesterday charged with holding unlawful assembly.
They were arrested on Tuesday at about 3:00am at Kaasi Club in Bwaise, a Kampala suburb.
Most of them are residents of Mukono district.
The agents were charged late in the afternoon before Chief Magistrate Joy Bahanguza at Nabweru Magistrates’ Court.
They were represented by Uthman Abubaker Mulindwa, and Medard Ssegona.
Prosecution led by Gladys Nyanzi said the agents assembled “with intent to conduct themselves in a manner that caused fear in the neighbourhood.â€
It further reported that the people in the neighbourhood feared that the accused would “breach peace†with such an assembly.
The agents denied the charges.
The prosecutor told court that the charge was simply a holding charge “as investigations continue to get a proper charge†against them.
But their lawyers protested, and applied for bail, saying the charge is speculative. They said the suspects were entitled to be freed by court on bail.
The lawyers produced five sureties for all the accused but the Chief Magistrate rejected their bail application, saying each of the suspects should produce a surety.
She remanded them until March 14 but did not sign a remand warrant because she was whisked away by the Police at about 5:30pm after the situation at the court became tense.
Prisons officials declined to take the suspects to Luzira Prison without the mandatory remand warrant, saying it would amount to breaking the law.
The suspects were returned to Kawempe Police Station. They are expected to appear in court today.