The High Court in Masaka has granted bail to four bodyguards attached to National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, commonly known as Bobi Wine, after they spent 13 months on remand without trial.
Masaka High Court Judge Victoria Nakintu granted the accused bail on condition that each pays five million shillings in cash and provides a non-cash bond of Shs50 million.
In her ruling, Justice Nakintu noted that the accused had been on remand for the past 13 months without their trial commencing.
She said their previous application for bail had been opposed by state prosecutor Deborah Itwau, who argued that the prosecution had gathered sufficient evidence and was ready to commence the trial. The prosecutor had also asked the Deputy Registrar to place the matter on the court’s cause list, which Justice Nakintu noted had not happened to date.
The judge further noted that the accused had presented substantial sureties, including Mukono Member of Parliament Sheila Amaniyo, Kalungu East MP Yusuf Nkeretanyi, Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu, and former MPs Gorreth Namugga and Allan Mayanja of Mawogola and Nakaseke respectively.
Other sureties included Florence Namayanja, the Masaka City Mayor, and John Baptist Serunkuuma of Nansana Municipality, among others.
Justice Nakintu said some of the sureties are relatives and friends of the accused, while others were leaders holding positions of public trust and were therefore capable of ensuring that the accused return to court whenever required.
However, the judge clarified that the bail would only apply to suspects who do not have other pending cases before different courts.
She said Grace Wakabi and Gaddafi Mugumya could benefit from the bail, while Eddie Sebuufu and Achileo Kivumbi would first have to resolve other matters pending against them before they can benefit from the ruling.
The accused were ordered to surrender their passports to court, report to the Deputy Registrar on the first Monday of every month, and attend all court proceedings whenever required.
Defense lawyer Samuel Muyizzi told the court that Mugumya and Wakabi do not have passports to surrender.
Justice Nakintu directed the defense to provide evidence from reliable authorities confirming that the two do not possess passports.
After the ruling, Muyizzi said the defense team had started seeking proof that Mugumya and Wakabi do not have passports, while also mobilizing funds to meet the cash bail requirements.
The four guards were arrested in May 2024 at Ngereko Village in Lwengo District over allegations of assaulting two journalists, Margaret Kayondo of Simba FM and Zainabu Namusaazi of NBS where the accused and the journalists had attended the same burial ceremony.
The prosecution alleges that the guards assaulted the journalists, took a sweater and mobile phone from them, and damaged a camera they were using while covering a burial ceremony in the area.
During the ruling, Sebuufu and Kivumbi appeared via Zoom from Luzira Upper Prison, while Mugumya and Wakabi were physically present in the Masaka High Court
