Court starts hearing of Persis Namuganza case

COURT 

Court in Iganga district has started hearing a case in which the Namutumba district speaker and four others are accused of assaulting supporters of lands state minister Persis Namuganza, during the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries.

Prosecution alleged that Emmanuel Maganda, the Namutumba district speaker, David Isabirye, Prossy Magala, Samuel Isiko and Bakali Mulamogi, on September 4, while at Kiibale village in Kiibale sub-county, assaulted eight supporters of Namuganza, who were monitoring the voting process.

Prosecution further alleged that the five later burnt down a vehicle belonging to Kezron Matende that was carrying the supporters of the minister's opponent.

Supporters of Maganda thronged court and later hugged him outside after the accused were granted bail.

All the accused pleaded not guilty to the eight charges read to them by Grade One Magistrate Yunusu Ndiwalana.

Ndiwalana later granted bail to the accused, who had spent over two months on remand at Busesa Prison.

They were released on a cash bail of sh100,000 each and non-cash bail of sh1m to each of the sureties.

Maganda was nominated recently in absentia to contest for the Bukono parliamentary seat against Namuganza.