By Sania Babirye
The Court of Appeal has set 18th of May 2018 to rule on the bail application filed by the convicted a d jailed for life Tabliq muslim sect leader Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga.
This is after justice Christopher Madrama concluded hearing of the bail application this afternoon in which 66 year old Sheikh Kamoga wants to be temporally released pending hearing if his appeal in which he is challenging both his conviction and life sentence on verbal terrorism charges.
His lawyer Roberts Kagolo has told court that his client is of an advanced age of 66 and needs special palliative care for severe Hypertension, Ulcers and gross obesity which can expose him to cardiac complications.
Kagolo further submitted that has added that those conditions can not be managed by Luzira prison and there is a likely hood of delay in the court of Appeal to dispose off his client's appeal because the courts arr too busy.
Kagolo also claims that says his client's appeal has a high chance of succeeding because state failed to place him at the murder scenes of both since none of the prosecution witnesses placed his client at the scenes of murder of the 2 sheikhs; Mustapha Bahiga and Hassan Kirya and therefore its fair and just to temporarily release Kamoga from prison.
Sheikh Kamoga has presented 7 surities including Former Makindye west MP Hajji Hussein Kyanjo, Imam Iddi Kasozi a lecturer at IUIU, Sheikh Suleman Kakeeto a Muslim scholar and a one Musa Nanfumb his brother as an assurance that he will return back to court and prosecute his appeal .
However the DPP through state attorney Lillian Omara has opposed Kamoga 's bail application on grounds that his old age can not withstand prison conditions, there is a likely hood that the sheikh will abscond because he is charged with a grade offense and he is serving a grave a punishment .
The bail application comes after Kamoga challenged both his terrorism conviction and life time imprisonment that was handed to him by the international crimes division of the high court in july 2017
In July 2017, three justices of the international crimes division of the high court led by justice Eziekel Muhanguzi setenced Kamoga and 5 others to life imprisonment and 30 years in Luzira prison after convicting each of them of verbal terrorism.
The group was however acquitted of murdering rival sheikhs Mustapha Bahiga and Hassan