Police fires tear gas to disperse Bobi Wine supporters at Mbale court

Police in Mbale City fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters who were trying to forcibly enter Mbale High Court.

Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine was in Mbale to hear the cross-examination of the Inspector General of Police, the resident district commissioner, regional Police commander, district Police commander and the officer in charge of Mbale Central Police Station.

CHAIN OF EVENTS

Kyagulanyi and his lawyers arrived at the court premises at around 7:30 am and parked outside the gate after security personnel denied him access before the official opening time.

At around 8:00 am the gate was opened to let the legislator and his team into the premises.

Later on, a group of People Power supporters and the MP's press team started flocking to the premises, but on reaching the gate, they found anti-riot Police heavily armed with tear gas and rifles. The refusal to allow some of the supporters access to the premises triggered a heated verbal exchange between People Power supporters.

The security personnel maintained that they would not allow all the many supporters inside the court premises, insisting that only the lawyers and a few select people would be allowed into the court.

The angry supporters later attempted to force themselves into the court premises, prompting reinforcement of the anti-riot Police under the command of Douglas Kiwanuka, to fire tear gas and bullets to disperse them.

The Police arrested and bundled onto their waiting pickup. The court session was delayed by about an hour as they waited for the situation to calm down.

When the situation returned to normal, Grade One Magistrate Andrew Katurubuki started the court proceedings with Kyagulanyi being represented by Medard Sseggona (MP Busiro East), while Peter Masaba represented the accused.

However, Inspector General of Police Okoth Ochola did not appear in person, although the rest of the accused were present. Katurubuki adjourned the case on the grounds that the court was full beyond capacity which he said was exposing the users to COVID-19. He said the hearing date would be fixed after the two sides agree on the standard operating procedures.

UNCONVINCED

However, Kyagulanyi and his lawyers questioned the decision by the magistrate to adjourn the case without mentioning when they should reappear in court for the cross-examination, adding that the case was about the abuse of human rights and must be given priority.

Kyagulanyi also said he was not convinced by the court decision, adding that Ugandans have continued to suffer at the hands of Police without those responsible being punished. "We know that the case has been adjourned and this must have been on orders from above.

But we shall not lay our tools down," he said.

Elgon region Police spokesperson Rogers Taitika said security was forced to fire tear gas to disperse the supporters that had refused to observe the lawful directives of the Police and health ministry that require them to observe the social distance.

After the adjournment of the court session, five Police pick-ups with heavily armed anti-riot Police officers escorted Kyagulanyi and his supporters from Kampala out of Mbale through Bugwere Road. Police also kept on firing tear gas and bullets to disperse the residents that attempted to join his convoy along the way.