Jimmy Taylor granted bail

By Sania Babirye
A 69 year old American National;  Jimmy Taylor who is charged with assaulting a Hotel employee has been granted bail by to Buganda road court .
Grade one magistrate Robert Mukanza was yesterday  forced to remand Taylor who claims to be a missionary and a former USA Marine to Luzira prison due to the abscence of a state prosecutor.
However today, Magistrate Mukanza red the charges in which Taylor pleaded not guilty too.
He was later granted a one million non cash court bond while his suruties including Gloria Mirembe and Godfrey  Kweezi have also  been ordered to deposit one million not in case.
The case has been adjourned to the 4th of October this year after state prosecutor Patricia Cingitho informed court that investigations are complete .
Prosecution states That Taylor a resident of  Arkansas in the USA  unlawfully assaulted Ssamanya Franco and caused body harm to him on the 17th of August 2018 at Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala.
Taylor's  troubles with the law stemmed from  video that went viral on social media showing him slapping  Franco Ssamanya at Grand Imperial Hotel on the 17th of August.
According to the alleged video,  Taylor is seen smashing a glass and going after Ssamanya while murmuring that the hotel employee  doesnot like Jesus  and hence he does not like him too.(Taylor)
The  colleagues of  Ssamanya were also seen in the video saving him from the furious Taylor who was out of control and hurling all sorts of insults against Samanya.
His arrest came to light after police announced on its social media page that it had arrested the alleged American National after series of public criticism over the incident.
It is also believed that during his arrest, the suspect spit on the police officers, as he became rowdy and  tried to resist the arrest and also tried to remove guns from police officers .
According to police, Taylor confessed to have assaulted the victim but claiming that he was driven by stress due to an illness he is suffering from.
Meanwhile while appearing in court yesterday, the suspect surprised court when he claimed he had a hearing problem and could not hear what the magistrate was doing forcing magistrate Mukanza to ask his clerk to stand close to Taylor while reading and explaining the charges next to him loudly.
Taylor faces five years in Luzira prison if convicted by court.