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Nakaseke, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Nakaseke Magistrate Court has granted bail to the supporter of the National Unity Platform accused of causing grievous harm to the mobilizer for the National Resistance Movement Party.
Geoffrey Onzima also known as High Tower a resident of Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District was arrested and remanded to Wakyato Prison in Nakaseke district on February 8th.
Onzima, an events promoter, and others still at large are accused of causing grievous harm to Ivan Kamuntu Majembere an NRM mobilizer while at the burial of Suleiman Jakana on 24th October 2022. Jakana was the son of Veteran politician Abdul Nadduli.
On Wednesday, Onzima appeared before Nakaseke Grade One Magistrate Christine Nantege for a hearing of his case.
But the Nakaseke Resident State Attorney Arthurton Kukundakwe asked the Magistrate to adjourn the case because the victim Majembere was still admitted at Nakasero hospital.
The defense lawyers Erastus Kibirango and Jeremiah Keeya asked the magistrate to grant Onzima bail saying the case is bailable and the accused has the right to bail.
Kibirango presented Nakaseke Central Member of Parliament Allan Mayanja Ssebunya and Lydia Nambeya a resident of Matabi village in Nakaseke district as sureties for the accused.
Kukundakwe opposed the bail application saying that the Majambere is still battling the injuries in the hospital and the accused together with others at large may interfere in the investigations.
He also added that Police may fail to trace Onzima if released since he went into hiding after committing the crime last year. Kukundakwe also objected to second surety Nambeya saying she failed to present her original National ID or a police letter proving that she lost it.
Kibirango asked the court to disregard Kukundakwe’s objection because the accused had no role in treating the alleged victim or interfering in the work of medical workers.
He added that the State Attorney has not presented an affidavit from the Police proving the submission that the accused went into hiding and they summoned him but refused to appear at the station.
The Nakaseke Chief Magistrate Christine Nantege granted cash bail of 500,000 Shillings to Onzima and ordered each to execute a non-cash bond of 2 million Shillings for each surety.
Nantege said the sureties were substantial and the accused can’t interfere with the arrest of other accused persons. She adjourned the case to 20th March 2023 for a hearing.
Allan Mayanja Ssebunya the Nakaseke Central Member of Parliament welcomed the bail but accused state operatives of allegedly torturing Onzima during the arrest.
Mayanja also added that he has also instructed his lawyers to file habeas corpus ordering the state to present four other NUP supporters including his body Yasin Ssebunya who are held incommunicado.
Lewis Rubongoya the Secretary General of the National Unity Platform condemned the arrest of the party supporters and again asked Uganda Human Rights Commission to intervene and locate four others who are still missing in Nakaseke district.
The four are Yasin Ssebunya, Khalid Sebi, Alex Kabugo and Fred Kagimu.
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