The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | City Hall Court has set next month to decide whether political commentator and Presidential Aspirant Charles Rwomushana has a case to answer for disobeying lawful orders.
Senior Grade One magistrate Valerian Tuhimbise set 19th November 2020 for ruling in a case were Rwomushana is accused of disobeying lawful orders.
Rwomushana, who declared his intention to contest for the presidency in the 2021 elections was arrested in July after he was found driving at Kamwokya during curfew time.
Rwomushana was returning from NBS TV where he had been hosted on a talk show, Barometer Extra.
The other panelists Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze, Kira Municipality’s Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and Fred Nyanzi of the National Unity Platform spokesperson were forced to spend the night at the television premises for fear of being arrested.
At that time, President Museveni had imposed a curfew from 9 pm to 5:30 am following the outbreak of COVID-19.
Rwomushana was taken with his vehicle to Kiira Road police station before he was presented before court and later granted bail.
Today, a state witness who was the scene investigating officer Boniface Odoch told court that Rwomushana was leaving NBS premises during Curfew hours.
During cross examination, Rwomushana’s lawyer David Mushabe asked the officer if he had inquired if Rwomushana was a media person and if he had asked him and checked if he had a sticker as a essential from media. Odoch said he had not asked Rwomushana any of that.
Mushabe also asked the officer if Rwomushana’s car was still existing at the police station but he said he doesn’t know.
Prosecution today closed its case and now Rwomushana has to file his defense. Mushabe told Court that his client has no case to to answer and asked to put in defense in that regard.
He says they will submit their defense to prosecution who will respond before he makes a rejoinder by 12 November 2020 before they go for ruling on 19th October 2020.
Rwomushana was charged with a similar offence as James Mubiru, Opondo Gaster and Ali Abdallah. He was out on bond like the other accused persons except Abdallah who pleaded guilty to the charges and was fined 200,000 shillings.
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