Sakwa’s bail application deferred over absence of chief Magistrate

Jinja, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Court has deferred the hearing of the bail application by the Jinja Resident District Commissioner Eric Sakwa to Wednesday. 

Sakwa and two others were on Friday last week charged with manslaughter, robbery and malicious damage and remanded to Kirinya prisons until May 13th.  

On Monday, security operatives comprising of UPDF officers, both uniformed and plain-clothed were deployed heavily to deter Sakwa’s supporters from accessing court premises. 

The security operatives further prevented some court officials, and journalists from entering court premises, however, at 1:20 pm the media and some lawyers were granted access. 

At 2:30 pm, a notice was pinned in the court premises indicating claiming that, Sakwa and his lawyers had not filed any bail application. 

“This is to notify the general public that court has not yet received any bail application in respect of Mr Joseph Erick Sakwa-the resident district commissioner,” reads part of the notice.  

However, at around 4:00 pm, the Jinja Grade One Magistrate, Anne Komuhangi held a brief meeting with Sakwa’s lawyers where she informed them that, the Chief Magistrate would be available on Wednesday. 

Sakwa’s lead lawyer Evans Ochieng told journalists that, they had fulfilled all the necessary procedures but, the process of securing Sakwa’s bail was frustrated due to lack of a substantive chief magistrate. 

“There is no substantive chief magistrate here and the one of Iganga bares the duty of caretaking this court too, but she couldn’t make it here today, we only pray that the public stays calm ahead of Wednesday,” he says.

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