Mayor charged over unlawful assembly
Apr 23, 2009
GULU mayor Christopher Acire and 10 youth were on Wednesday charged with three counts of unlawful assembly, managing unlawful society and allowing unlawful society to meet at the municipal offices.
By Charles Mukiibi
and Chris Ocowun
GULU mayor Christopher Acire and 10 youth were on Wednesday charged with three counts of unlawful assembly, managing unlawful society and allowing unlawful society to meet at the municipal offices.
Acire was charged with two counts of managing unlawful society and knowingly allowing unlawful society to meet at Gulu municipal offices.
Acire, together with the 10 youths was arrested on Monday. Prosecution stated that the gathering caused fear to the residents.
Acire’s lawyers said the charges brought against them were not of a criminal nature and therefore they should be granted bail.
They were granted bail after Acire and his surety, Mathew Lakwor paid sh500,000 in cash and a sh1m non-cash bond. The 10 youth paid sh250,000 each in cash and their nine sureties paid sh500,000, not cash.
They will reappear in court on May 6.
The youth, who were arrested in black T-shirts were allegedly recruited to provide security for the mayor who feared that he would be beaten up by the municipal councillors like they did to his deputy Benson Kilara recently.
Kilara was beaten up after the councillors accused him and Acire of backing the transfer of Mackay Opolot Odele, the town clerk.
The northern regional Police spokesman, Johnson Kilama, said the youth who were being used as body guards, would be charged with unlawful gathering.
The Police also feared that Acire could use the youth to fight the councillors who recently roughed up Kilara.
The ministry of local government recently posted a new town clerk, Augustine Bujara, to Gulu.
The councillors want the ministry to cancel the transfer of Odele and take Bujara to another municipality.
and Chris Ocowun
GULU mayor Christopher Acire and 10 youth were on Wednesday charged with three counts of unlawful assembly, managing unlawful society and allowing unlawful society to meet at the municipal offices.
Acire was charged with two counts of managing unlawful society and knowingly allowing unlawful society to meet at Gulu municipal offices.
Acire, together with the 10 youths was arrested on Monday. Prosecution stated that the gathering caused fear to the residents.
Acire’s lawyers said the charges brought against them were not of a criminal nature and therefore they should be granted bail.
They were granted bail after Acire and his surety, Mathew Lakwor paid sh500,000 in cash and a sh1m non-cash bond. The 10 youth paid sh250,000 each in cash and their nine sureties paid sh500,000, not cash.
They will reappear in court on May 6.
The youth, who were arrested in black T-shirts were allegedly recruited to provide security for the mayor who feared that he would be beaten up by the municipal councillors like they did to his deputy Benson Kilara recently.
Kilara was beaten up after the councillors accused him and Acire of backing the transfer of Mackay Opolot Odele, the town clerk.
The northern regional Police spokesman, Johnson Kilama, said the youth who were being used as body guards, would be charged with unlawful gathering.
The Police also feared that Acire could use the youth to fight the councillors who recently roughed up Kilara.
The ministry of local government recently posted a new town clerk, Augustine Bujara, to Gulu.
The councillors want the ministry to cancel the transfer of Odele and take Bujara to another municipality.