Eight jailed over death threats to minister fail to get bail

The case in which eight people are accused of sending threats to energy minister Mary Goretti Kitutu, has been deferred to July 28, 2020, for the state prosecutor Ivan Kyazze to respond to their bail application.

Nathan Wanda, 43, Emmanuel Kitono, 28, and John Mugoya, 36, are battling four counts of threatening violence, conspiracy to commit a felony, cyber harassment and cyberstalking.

They are charged alongside, Emmanuel Wanzira, 31, Samuel Muhulo, 19, Manuel Kimenya, 21, Rose Muzaki, 30, and Irene Neumbe, 40.

Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate Marion Mangeni adjourned the case after the prosecution entreated court for an adjournment to verify the sureties' documents.

"Your honour, I am very aware that the accused are entitled to bail, but we seek a week's time to enable us verify and ascertain the authenticity of the documents presented by the sureties," Kyazze said.

This prompted the trial Magistrate to adjourn the case to July 28.

Sureties

The accused, represented by five lawyers led by Bernard Mahoga, arraigned 26 sureties so as to get temporary freedom. The sureties were residents of Kampala, Manafwa, and Mbale districts.

They invited court to grant them bail on grounds that they are presumed innocent until conclusion of the case and that they had substantial sureties.

"The accused are entitled to bail on the court's discretion, but since investigations are still on going, we cannot guarantee how much time they will last. We therefore pray that court finds their sureties substantial," Mahoga submitted.

The arrest

The group was arrested from Nkoma in Mbale district near Kitutu's home district of Manafwa after the crime intelligence directorate intercepted information about the planned murder of the minister and her son, Phillip Murunga.

However, the alleged prime suspect, Phillip Wanambwa perished in a road accident with two detectives, AIP Emmanuel Mawa and Sgt Dick Magara, as they were returning to Kampala after Wanambwa, had successfully identified his accomplices.

The charges

The prosecution alleges that between May 22 and June 11 this year in Mbale and Kampala districts, the accused, with intent to intimidate or annoy Kitutu, threatened to kill the minister, who also doubles as the Manafwa district woman MP.

It is also alleged that at the same places and time, the accused wilfully, unlawfully conspired together to threaten violence.

The accused further unlawfully and repeatedly with intent to disturb the peace, quiet, and privacy of Kitutu, sent messages threatening to inflict injury or physical harm.