GULU – Grade One Magistrate Isaac Kintu has ordered police to arrest Kyadondo East Member of parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and 9 others for failing to appear before court which took place in Gulu town.
The criminal summons came during the court sitting on Thursday 4 morning in a Gulu court. The 10 suspects which include Bobi Wine are part of the 37 facing treason.
These 37 suspects are alleged to have on the 13th August 2018 stoned and smashed off the windscreen of one of the presidential car on the last day campaign for Arua Municipality by the election that sought to replace assassinated former MP Ibrahim Abiriga. The incident saw one, Yasin Kawuma, Bobi Wine’s driver shot dead.
Apart from Bobi Wine, some suspect that court orders for their arrest include Ntungamu Municipality MP Gerald Karuhanga, Jinja Municipality MP Paul Mwiru, Mityana MP Frnacis Zaake, former MP Mike Mabike and others.
Only 27 suspects facing the same charges appeared before the Magistrate Court today [Thursday]. They include Arua Municipality MP Kasiano Wadri, Atiku Shaban, Night Asara, Edward Ssebuufu alias Eddie Mutwe among others.
The Magistrates ruled that the 10 suspects didn’t provide a clear explanation on why they absent in court.
Meanwhile, the accused through their defense lawyer, Caleb Alaka demanded that state should produce President Museveni, and NRM party bosses including Don Nabassa, Kasule Lumumba, Richard Toodwong, Sam Engola to testify as a witness in court because they were at the alleged scene during the saga.
The state was represented by Patrick Omiya, the Gulu resident senior state attorney.
According to the law, police should complete investigation of a triable case within 180 days (6 months) but for the case of these Arua suspects, it has exceeded 180 days for investigation to be completed since the suspects started appearing in court and the case has not yet been committed for trial in the High Court. But the Mr Kintu adjourned the court and orders the suspects to appear before the Registrar of High Court on August 6th 2019.
