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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of the Forum for Democratic Change -FDC Katonga Faction, including Member of Parliament Ssemujju Nganda have been granted bail after faceing charges of common nuisance.
They were arrested earlier in the day as they planned to march to the offices of the Kenyan High commission in Kololo to demand for an explanation regarding the alleged abduction of Dr. Kiiza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale fro Kenyan capital Nairobi by Ugandan security operatives.
Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and seven otherswere charged with common nuisance. The others on the charge sheet included Ingrid Kamateneti Turinawe, Masurudin Basalirwa, Abdul Ssebyala Bukenya, Nobert Chaku, Faridah Nangonzi, Hillary Atwongirwe.
The group was on Monday evening arraigned before the Court presided over by the Grade One Magistrate Dan Mwesiga and charged with one count.
The court heard that the accused persons on November 25th 2024, along Ssezibwa Road Central Division in Kampala District placed themselves in a road at Ssezibwa Road in such a manner that would cause danger or inconvenience to traffic.
The accused who were wearing t-shirts bearing inscriptions of Abducted in Kenya and Freedom for All with a picture of former FDC Party President Dr Kizza Besigye and Abeid Lutale who were remanded last week by the Military Court after being arrested from Kenya, have denied the charge against them.
Through their lawyers led by Kato Tumusiime and Ronald Samuel Wanda applied for bail on their behalf on the basis that they are still innocent and that the case is bailable.
They said the case doesn’t involve personal violence
MP Ssemujju Ngandapresented his wife Faridah Babirye, MP for Buhweju County Francis Mwijukye and Joshua Kidda an Area Councillor for Bukasa Kirinya LC3 as his sureties.
Ingrid Turinawe has presented Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago,Gadson Mutabazi , Brian Atuhaire who are all friends to the accused person and members of FDC Party as her sureties.
Basalirwa presented Simon Wanyera the Personal Assistant to the Kampala City Deputy Lord Mayor and senior politician , Wafula Ogutu as his sureties.
Bukenya has presented his sister Nuru Nakayike and Mukiibi Ssemwogerere as his sureties. Other accused also presented their friends within the FDC Party as their sureties but the State Attorney Ivan Kyazze sought leave of court to ascertain the authenticity of the LC letters presented to them by the sureties.
Accordingly, the group was granted bail of 20 million shillings non cash and their sureties also 20 million shillings not cash. The matter was adjourned to December 10th 2024.
The group was arrested on Monday as as they planned to march to the offices of the Kenyan High commission in Kololo in demand for an explanation regarding their arrested members including the recent jailed ones ; Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale.
Besigye was remanded by the Court Martial chaired by Brigadier Robert Freeman Mugabe last week and is expected to return to court on December 2nd 2024.
It is alleged between October 2023 and November 2024 in the cities of Athens in Greece , Geneva in Switzerland and Nairobi in Kenya , Dr Besigye and Lutale held meetings to fund raise and mobilise resources against the security of Uganda .
The pair is also charged with three other counts of unlawful possession of two pistols and eight rounds of ammunition which were allegedly found on them on arrest at Riverside apartments in Kenya on November 16th 2024.
This is not the first time that FDC Katonga Faction members are being charged before Buganda Road Court.
About three months ago, Ssemujju Nganda and some of the other accused jailed today were charged before the same court with similar charges after they were found going to petition the Kenyan High Commission to demand answers for the arrest of their 36 supporters.
The group were also charged with terrorism and later given bail last month by the International Crimes Division of the Court after being picked from Kenya.
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