By Andrew Irumba
Gulu: Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, plus his fellow People Power supporters and legislators who are facing treason charges after the Arua By-election fracas are in deep trouble.
This is because government has added five more charges on their charge sheet, on top of the cases of treason and stoning the presidential convoy.
SpyUganda has learnt that the new charges include incitement of violence, disobedience of lawful orders and going armed in certain places contrary to section 75 (b) of the penal code act. Other counts include failure to prevent obstruction of traffic flow, confusion, or disorders during a public meeting contrary to Public Order Management Act, and failure to give right of way contrary to the traffic and road safety act. The charges were read to the accused persons on Tuesday while they appeared before the Gulu Grade one Magistrate Isaac Kintu Imoran.
Bobi Wine is charged with 36 others who include Arua Municipality MP Kassiano Wadri, Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, Allan Ssewanyana, Eddie Mutwe and others.
Patrick Omiya, the Senior Resident State Attorney told court that the accused persons are being charged with offences that are capital in nature and that the prosecution will still amend the charges and bring more counts.
In his ruling, Magistrate Kintu committed all the 37 suspects to the High Court for trial including the 10 who were absent on 4th July. Kintu also referred the case file to the Deputy Registrar of Gulu High Court for further management.
Benjamin Katana, one of the defense lawyers said that the whole court process was unlawfully conducted right from the time of the arrests of the suspects.
Henry Komakech Kilama, the lead defence lawyer, however, appealed to the general public to be calm and allow justice to take its course.
However, the Magistrate court did not indicate the date that the accused persons are to appear in court, since the case file in now under the management of the Registrar.
