Kerry Howard Mwesigwa.
KAMPALA, November 22, 2023 | The anticipated bail ruling for David Balondemu, Chairperson of the Kampala District Land Board, facing charges of obtaining money by false pretenses and conspiracy to commit a felony, has been postponed by the City Hall Court. The delay is a result of allegations surrounding the forgery of medical documents submitted in support of Balondemu’s bail application.
State Attorney Kyazze Ivan brought forth an application urging the court to verify the authenticity of the medical documents presented by Balondemu. The documents, including a medical report and a referral letter, claimed that Balondemu was scheduled for surgery on November 22, 2023, at Kampala Hospital. However, the state attorney revealed that an investigation prompted by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) found the documents to be false.
A letter from police officer Okwakor Joram to the executive officer of Kampala Hospital requested clarification on the documents. In response, the hospital stated that Balondemu had never been a patient, and the documents were not issued by them. The state attorney submitted a copy of this letter and an affidavit from Okwakor Joram, who conducted the verification.
The state attorney requested the court to defer the bail ruling until the application is resolved, also seeking an order for Balondemu’s arrest on charges of forgery and uttering false documents.
Defense lawyers, including Caleb Alaka, Evans Ochieng, Mukasa Mbidde, and Kamba Hassan, opposed the application, arguing it relied on hearsay evidence and was an attempt to delay the bail ruling. They challenged the competency of the affidavit, stating that the police officer was not the author of the hospital’s letter and raised concerns about its certification and attachment.
The defense contended that the application unfairly targeted Balondemu without addressing other accused persons, namely Ibona Joseph, Mkwe Eric Geoffrey, James Jeff Mugisha, and Godfrey Maviri, who faced similar charges and had applied for bail.
Despite the defense’s objections, the magistrate ruled that it would be unjust to proceed without allowing the state an opportunity to be heard. The case was adjourned to November 29, 2023, with instructions for written submissions and rejoinders on the application. Balondemu and the other accused individuals were remanded to Luzira prison until the next hearing.
