Court starts hearing assault case lodged by Persis Namuganza supporters

By Teven Kibumba 

Court in Iganga has started hearing of a case in which the district speaker Namutumba and four others are accused of assaulting supporters of state minister for lands Persis Namuganza on Election Day for the NRM primaries.

Prosecution alleged that the accused persons, Emmanuel Maganda the district speaker Namutumba, David Isabirye, Prosy Magala, Samuel Isiko and Bakali Mulamogi on September 4 this year while at Kiibale village Kiibale sub county assaulted eight supporters of state minister for Lands Persis Namuganza who were travelling to various polling stations monitor the voting process.

Prosecution further alleged that the five accused persons later burnt down a vehicle registration number UAS 792 A belonging to one Kezron Matende that was carrying the supporters of his opponent state minister for lands Persis Namuganza.

Supporters of Maganda who had jammed the court later hugged him outside after all the accused persons had been granted bail.

All the five accused persons pleaded not guilty to the eight charges of assault read to them by grade one magistrate Yunusu Ndiwalana.

Grade one magistrate Yunusu Ndiwalana later granted bail to the accused persons who had spent over two months on remand at Busesa government prisons on condition they deposited a cash bond of shillings 100,000 each and a non-cash bail of shillings one million to each of the sureties .

Emmanuel Maganda who was nominated recently in absentia contest for the Bukono parliamentary seat against Persis Namuganza after the court session said the accusations leveled against him are simply politically motivated.

“My opponent just wants to tarnish my image by forging allegations against me but am aware victory is on my side," he said.

Maganda said her opponent also took advantage of his arrest on the voting day of the NRM primaries in order to manipulate results of the polls in her favor.

“Even a child in the constituency knows very well that I won the results for the NRM primaries, “ he said.

The lawyer representing the accused persons, John Isabirye said the charges preferred against her clients were politically tramped up besides intended to malice the political career of Emmanuel Maganda.