The General Court Martial was to rule on their 3rd bail attempt.

Nubian Li,Eddie Mutwe and 16 others not produced in Court.

In Summary
  • The group has been on remand since December 2020.
  • They are charged with being in possession of four bullets.
  • They deny the said charges.
This is the third time that the group is applying for bail before the same Court.
Nubian li, Eddie Mutwe and others . This is the third time that the group is applying for bail before the same Court.
Image: Courtesy photo

The 18 National Unity Platform Party members who have been on remand for now six months without trial have not been produced before the army Court for the hearing of their third bail attempts.

The General Court Martial led by Lt General Andrew Gutti, was today expected to hear  and rule on whether to grant the group bail or not, however, due to  the revised Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Chief Justice in line with President Museveni's partial lockdown for the next 42 days, all Court hearings and appearences were suspended until then.

In the circular issued by the CJ yesterday, only urgent matters were to be heard during the 42 days.

The group led by Bobiwine's singing partner Ali Bukeni commonly known as Nubian li,  his Music producer Dan Magic, and head of his private security have been on remand at Kitalya Government prison since December 2020, when they were arrested in Kalangala district during the concluded presidential  campaigns.

They are charged with being in possession of live ammunition,  in which prosecution states that the accused persons and others still at large on January 3rd 2021 while at Makerere Kavule, Kigundu Zone, Kawempe Division were found in possession of four rounds of ammunition of an AK 47 gun, which is the monopoly of the defense forces.

Anthony Wammeli, Lawyer to the victims says that it is unfortunate that his client's presumptions of Innocence is being trumped upon since the court has not yet even set a hearing date, yet it continues to denie them bail.

He added  that the actions of the prosecution shows that they have no evidence to prove the trumped up charges against his clients , if you compare to the speed at which they were arrested, charged and remanded in December 2020.

Leader of opostion Mathias Mpuuga called upon the families of those who are still in prison to not give up and keep demanding for their release.

Mpuuga added that it was their right to continue demanding for the rights of their clients because they believe that they are innocent.

Through their lawyers of Anthony Wameeli and Company Advocates,  the suspects claim that it is now over five  Months since they were charged yet court has not fixed a date for hearing their case.

They further  argue that bail is their constitutional right and that they will not interfere with any alleged ongoing investigations among other grounds.

While denying them bail, court ruled that the group was likely to incite more violence once granted bail.

The group also lost a case in the high Court in which they were challenging their trial in the army court despite being civilians.

The High court ruled that the group was properly being tried before the Army Court since they were allegedly arrested with items that are only a preserve of the Army.

On the 8th of january, the group was  charged with illegal possession of live ammunition( four magazine) in a court session in which their lawyers led by Medard Ssegona were not allowed to attend court.

The said members had been granted bail by the Masaka magistrate court but the army court later issued a production warrant, re arrested, arraigned  them before the army Court  and charged.