By Hanning Mbabazi
Kampala: Andrew Mukasa of Bajjo events was earlier on Thursday 11 July granted bail by Buganda road court. Grade one magistrate Stella Amabilisi temporally released Bajjo on a four million cash bail while his three sureties were ordered to deposit a 20 million noncash bond.
State Prosecutor Patricia Cingtho had earlier objected to Bajjo’s bail application on grounds that he is likely to utter more inciting statements once released.
However, the Magistrate noted that the sureties are substantial and directed them to deposit their National Identification cards with court. She also advised them to return to court on July 25, granted Bajjo bail however told him to not make another alleged inciting statement and adjourned case to the 25 July 2019 for mention.
Bajjo is charged with offensive communication and inciting violence. His troubles started on June 15th, 2019 when he was picked by security operatives from Centenary Park. Bajjo was arrested immediately after addressing a press conference in which he announced that he was going to organize a nationwide marathon in support to Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobiwine to raise money which he had allegedly lost following blocking of his concerts.
Prosecution stated that during the month of June 2019 at various places of Masaka, Ibanda and Kampala, the suspect willfully and repeatedly with intent to disturb the peace and privacy of the person of the President, Bajjo recorded an audio and posted it on social media containing inciting messages using his mobile phone.
Bajjo had spent almost four weeks on remand after he was remanded on charges of inciting violence against the person of the President on the 18th of June this year.
On the 24th of June, Bajjo through his lawyer Erias Lukwagoc presented sureties including Abbey Musinguzi also known as Abitex, opposition political activist Moses Bigirwa and TV producer Aloysius Matovu Kizza whom are all personal friends and business partners.
However prosecution asked court to deny him bail on grounds that he is likely to engage in more acts of violence if granted bail and that since investigations are ongoing, he might interfere with them.
The court also red afresh the charges to Bajjo and this time, he understood them and denied ever committing them.
On the 18th of June, Bajjo was charged with inciting violence against the person of President Museveni for his political opinion and offensive communication after spending five hours in court cells.
On the charge of offensive communication, prosecution states that with an intention to disturb the peace and privacy of president Museveni, without any legitimate purpose recorded a video using his mobile phone containing messages threatening to overthrow the government of Uganda before the year 2021.
Bajjo pleaded not guilty to the first offense but when it came to the second offense, he pleaded guilty forcing his lawyer Lukwago to ask the magistrate to read the charge in Luganda the suspect best understood.
The magistrate however failed to get an interpreter and remanded him until today 11 July.
Bajjo threw court mainly his supporters into panic when he accepted the second offense which carries a maximum sentence of seven years before his lawyer came and informed the magistrate that his client did not understand the charge being red in English.
Bajjo is being accused of distributing a video through social media and according to police, Banjo was calling upon people to engage in an up raising against President Museveni and his government.
