Court clears Tabliq leader of incitement charges

May 05, 2016

Kamoga was on Thursday acquitted of the charges after his lawyers Nuhu Wadembele and Godfrey Byekwaso informed court that prosecution had failed to produce witnesses in the case for the sixth time.

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate‘s Court has discharged the Tabliq spokesperson, Umar Basica Kamoga on charges of inciting violence.

Kamoga was on Thursday acquitted of the charges after his lawyers Nuhu Wadembele and Godfrey Byekwaso informed court that prosecution had failed to produce witnesses in the case for the sixth time.

"Your worship, prosecution committed itself in a bid to secure an adjournment last time to produce witnesses. No single witness in court. We pray that the case be dismissed for lack of prosecution," Wadembele said.

This prompted grade one magistrate, Joan Aciro to discharge Kamoga after prosecution led by state attorney Peter Mugisha failed to bring witnesses to testify against him.

"This is the sixth time you fail to produce witnesses. The accused is here by discharged." Aciro said.

This caused chants of Takibir Allah Akbar (God is great) from the Muslims who had jammed the courtroom

Kamoga was among the Tabliq Muslims arrested by police in July, 2015 over the murder of former Kibuli Muslim group spokesperson, Sheikh Hassan Ibrahim Kirya in Bweyogerere, a Kampala suburb, as he traveled home at night.

He was later charged at Buganda Road Court and released on sh500, 000 cash bail after presenting five substantial sureties in court.

Kamoga was suspected of masterminding and sending threatening text messages to Sheikh Kirya, saying he was soon meeting his creator and should try to perform good deeds before his (Kirya) death in 2015.

It was further alleged that Kamoga used his influence to incite Tabliqs to attack a group of Muslims at Kibuli as well as formulating the alleged hit list who were supposed to be killed if the Muslim community was to stabilize.

Addressing the media after the court session, the chairman of Tabliq Muslims Sheikh Sulait Ssemakula said that the discharge of Kamoga was a mile stone in their attempt to liberate their colleagues including their leader Amir Ummah sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga who is currently battling charges of terrorism and murder alongside 30 others at the War Crimes Division of the High Court.

 

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