KAMPALA — The General Court Martial has released on bail 18 people detained six months ago while campaigning for presidential candidate Bobi Wine real name Robert Kyagulanyi.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) party members were arrested in December 2020 in the island district of Kalangala, a month before the election.
They included members of Bobi Wine’s media, security and protocol teams.
They are among 49 people arrested and subsequently charged with illegal possession of four rounds of ammunition.
This was their fourth bail application – they were declined before on the grounds that they were potentially dangerous people capable of inciting violence.
These include include Bobi Wine’s bodyguard Edward Ssebufu also known as Eddie Mutwe and his singing partner Bukeni Ali alias Nubian Li and his music producer Sir Dan Magic.
Tough bail terms were set for those released.
The Chairperson of the Court, Andrew Gutti, barred them from travelling outside the capital, Kampala, and Wakiso, a district that encircles it.
Each are subject to a non-cash bond of 20m Ugandan shillings ($5,600, £3,900) while those who stood as their sureties to a non-cash bond of 50m Ugandan shillings to be paid should they abscond.
They are also required to report to the court twice a month.
NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi said that while this is a sigh of relief, “we still have to press on in demanding for the release of all political prisoners held in different prisons across the country”.
President Yoweri Museveni, 76, was sworn in last month for his sixth elected term, after winning January’s disputed poll
