From: Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 9:31 PM
Before being brought to court under tight security escort, the two had spent close to six hours at the CID headquarters, which is located in Kibuli suburb of Kampala, and were later placed in the cells within the court corridors for another couple of hours.
A police source at Kibuli had earlier informed the MP Lukwago that an additional charge of abetting terrorism had been added to the sedition charges against him, after a close analysis of his personal file. But when he eventually appeared in court, he was only charged with inciting people to violence.
The MP Lukwago was granted a free bail of U.shs 2 million plus three sureties bonded on U,shs 1 million each. The Democratic Party{DP} President, Mr John Ssebaana Kizito, and MPs Moses Kabugu and Issa Kikungwe, both of DP were bonded on sureties of U.shs 1 million each.
At the same time, the Buganda’s Information Minister, Medard Lubaga was granted free court bail of U shs.2 million with two sureties of U.shs 5 million each. Betti Kamya [FDL} and Mr Buyiga Lukome stood sureties of U.shs 5 million each.
The Buganda Kingdom’s Attorney General, Mr Apolo Makubuya appeared In court as the lawyer for the defense of the accused persons.
The charge against M Lukwago alleged that on September 9, 2009, he appeared on the now suspended Akubuzi Kubbari FM Radio station, to oppose the Kabaka’s visit to Kayunga district. It was this aborted visit, which sparked off the bloody rioting in Kampala City on September 11th 2009, resulting in deaths of more than 26 people and close to 500 being detained by a combined dragnet mounted by police and military forces.
On the same FM radio station, according to the facts presented to the court by the Prosecution, the MP Lukwago also made some utterances in which he implied that it would be desirable to commit “acts calculated to lead to destruction or damage of property”.
The Buganda’s Information Minister Lubega, on the other hand ,was accused by the prosecution of making statements intended to bring about hatred, contempt and public disaffection with the government of Uganda.
“The government went ahead and installed a pretender claiming to be the leader of the Banyala community with the Buganda Kingdom, who is not from the royal family in Buganda, and this is the person called Baker Kimeze”, MP LUBEGA was quoted as having told the listeners of the Radio Station which belonged to the Buganda Kingdom.
He is said to have added, ”This is the man the government of Uganda wants Kabaka Ronald Mwenda Mutebi to first ask permission from in order to visit his subjects at Kayunga, an act, which cannot be acceptable because the late father of Capt Kameze, Nathan Mpagi has never been a leader of the Banyala community”.
The court prosecutor, Mr Festo Nsanga, according to a front-page article in today’s [Tuesday} edition of the NEWVISION, was vehemently opposed to bail application, arguing that the two accused persons were very influential personalities and therefore were likely to interfere with the police investigations currently in progress. The chief Magistrate, however, disagreed with the prosecutor, saying he offenses were bailable.
Earlier, the two accused persons had spent most part of the morning hours at the CID headquarters, First to arrive was MP Lukwago. He was accompanied by several people; both opposition MPs, top officials from Mengo, sympathizers and his lawyer.
Lubaga turned up at the CID headquarters voluntarily and told the journalists that he was tired of rumors making the round that the police wanted to arrest him. After presenting himself, Lubega emerged waving some documents saying it contained the charge sheet.
The police, according to impeccable sources in Kampala have also issued summons to Ms Betty Namboze, an outspoken Buganda Kingdom loyalist, and one Moses Kesibante, a talk-show host with the now closed down CBS FM Radio Station, also owned by the Buganda kingdom. Both the two will be charged with sedition.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
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Subject: Kabaka’s Information Minister and an MP appeared inc ourt on sedition and terrorism charges