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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Buganda road magistrates court has allowed 37 Chinese Nationals to enter into a plea bargaining session with the state.
The Chinese are facing charges of conducting business in Uganda without trading licences and unlawful possession of wildlife.
The accused persons through their lawyers led by Jamil Mujurizi told Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate Marion Mangeni that they are opting for a plea bargaining because his clients have been on remand since March.
Mujurizi asked the court to be given time to go and consult his clients who appeared via video conferencing from Kitalya prison on what they propose as a punishment before proceeding to meet the Director of Public Prosecution. The maximum sentence for the charges against them is life imprisonment.
However, the State Attorney Ivan Kyazze who had come with six witnesses ready to start the hearing did not object to the lawyer’s request. Mangeni was prompted to adjourn the case until July 2 2020, when she will be informed on the status of the plea bargaining.
The prosecution alleges that on March 19 2020, the group was found conducting business in Uganda without trading licenses and unlawful possession of wildlife species. The offences were reportedly committed in Kireka, Kira municipality in Wakiso district.
It is also alleged that on the same day, the group was also found disassembling several mobile phones and computers for trading purposes without a trading license.
The suspects were also found with suspected stolen property. This property included computer motherboards, phones and electricity metres. They were also reportedly found in illegal possession of protected wildlife species including six tortoises and pangolin shells.
It is also alleged that the Chinese were found in possession of 1,895 Airtel and 223 MTN sim cards registered in Ugandan names which they were reportedly used for “We Chat”, an online platform for messaging and financial transactions. These other offences were committed between October 2019 and March 2020.
Efforts to apply for bail by this group have been futile due to lack of sureties.
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