Reported by Sandra Ainebyoona
The former Mayor of Fort Portal City has been arraigned in court on charges relating to organizing an unlawful assembly to pray over the President’s unfulfilled pledgees for the Tooro area. Reverand Willy Kintu Muhanga was charged together with David Musinguzi, Patrick Amanyire Kasoro, John Chris Tusiime, Henry Kyomuhendo Atom and Thomas Kakuru.
The six were arraigned before Grade One Magistrate Her Worship Annet Namakati, in Fort portal City amid heavy police deployment. The defence lawyer, Mr Robert Mugabe requested the court to release the suspects on bail and presented sureties of all the six accused persons. The Magistrate however declined to entertain the bail application arguing that it would be heard by another magistrate who was allocated the file. The state prosecutor Robert Arinaitwe also informed the court that he needed more time to internalize the bail application.
With the bail denied, the accused will spend their Easter holiday at Katojo Government Prison where they were remanded until April 11, 2023 when they will be returned to court for the hearing of the bail application and mention of their criminal case.
While at Court Rev. Muhanga emphasized that the team only wants the President to fulfil his pledges to the people of Tooro and that they would continue to demand so since it was their constitutional right.
The six were arrested on 29th March on their way from Kyembogo in Busoro Sub County where they held prayers for the government’s unfulfilled pledges. They were later released on police bond and asked to report to police on Friday 31st March. When they reported, they were immediately rearrested and arraigned in court.
