Court grants bail to 15 anti-graft protesters
Some of the anti-graft protesters who were charged at Buganda Road Court and remanded to Luzira Prison on July 23, 2024. Photo | Abubaker Lubowa
What you need to know:
- They are part of close to 100 youth who were last week arrested over their alleged involvement in demonstrations against corruption.
After spending six days in detention, 15 youths accused of participating in last week’s anti-corruption march to Parliament have been released on bail.
Grade One magistrates Jalia Basajabalaba and Carol Kyoshabire of Buganda Road Court released the group bail pending the hearing of the case at a later date.
One suspect was released by Mwanga II Court.
“I have granted the accused persons bail since the charge against them is bailable,” Magistrate Basajabalaba held before adjourning the case to August 29 for hearing.
The suspects were released on a cash bail of Shs200,000 and Shs100,000.
Close to 100 youths were last week arrested and paraded before various courts in the city over their alleged involvement in the peaceful demonstrations against corruption.
They were charged before Buganda Road, City Hall, and Nakawa courts with the offences of being a common nuisance and idle and disorderly. They denied the charges.
Concerns
The Office of the Director of Prosecutions (DPP) has since come under criticism for charging the youth with laws that were presumed to be colonial that targeted the poor.
This publication last week reported how the DPP Jane Frances Abodo has since recalled the files for review.
Among those released on bail was Mr Robert Maseruka, the former Makerere University guild president, who was charged alone for allegedly obstructing and inconveniencing the public at Buganda Road Court after he reportedly became wild upon the arrest of his colleagues during the foiled march to Parliament protests.
During last week’s demonstrations, the youth, mostly in their 20s and 30s, demanded the resignation of Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among, whom they accuse of corruption.
Mr Anthony Masake, one of the lawyers for the accused persons, shortly after their release said: “While we welcome the decision of the court to grant bail to our clients, we continue to call for the spurious charges to be dropped. Peaceful protests are not a crime. We need to respect the rule of law.”
Granted bail
Those released on bail include; Eric Muhwezi, Brian Magala, Robert Maseruka, Abdul Bast Najib, Vian Muwonge, Innocent Mutibwa, Shabir Abdul Majid and Ssagala Abdulrahman Kabanda.
Others are Eddy Kiyaga, David Anderson Onyango, Ashiraf Kanunu, Kato Jeremiah, Hussein Kasozi Lubega, and Samuel Okuja.
