Court of Appeal Justice Christopher Madrama has set May 18 to make his ruling in a bail application in which jailed Tabliq leader Sheikh Amid Umar is seeking to be released on bail pending appeal citing advanced age and ill-health
State Attorney Lillian Omara on Wednesday May 2, asked court to dismiss the application.
“The applicant (Kamoga) was convicted of a grave and serious offence of terrorism whose sentence is imprisonment for the rest of his life yet his lawyer, Friday Kagooro had told court that he was of good conduct and presumed innocent,” Ms Omara submitted.
“There is high likelihood of him (Kamoga) absconding from court given the nature of the offence he was convicted of,” she added.
Kamoga presented seven sureties including, former Makindye West Member of Parliament Hussien Kyanjo, Imam Idi Kasozi, a lecturer at the Islamic University in Uganda and Amir Daula Sheikh Suleiman Kakeeto.
Others are; Sheikh Ayubu secretary general of the Tabliq Sect, Musa Nakumba a brother, Siranje Kalyanga businessman and Yunus Butanaziba also an elder brother.
In his application, Sheikh Kamoga, 60, stated that he is ready to fulfill all the conditions set forth by the court of Appeal on granting him bail because he is of good character as well as a law abiding citizen.
“…I am advised by my lawyers that there is a possibility of substantial delay in the determination of my appeal before this Honourable Court as there are a series of cases pending and those that are already fixed for the next criminal session,” states Sheikh Kamoga in the affidavit.
Through his lawyers, the Muslim Cleric told court that it was in the interest of justice that bail be granted to him because his appeal has a high possibility of success since no murder was ever proved against him at the trial court.
In August last year, Sheikh Kamoga was sentenced to life imprisonment after he was convicted on the offence of terrorism in connection with killing of Muslim clerics.
The International Crimes Division (ICD) Court jailed Sheikh Kamoga jointly with five other Sheikhs; Siraje Kawooya, Murta Mudde Bukenya, Fahad Kalungi, Yusuf Kakande alias Abudalla and Abdul Salam Sekayanja.
