Court in Masindi on Wednesday sentenced Fred Kyogonza, the man who punched a magistrate to serve a seven years jail term.
Last year, Kyogonza, a former Clinical officer at Masindi District Local Government who had been convicted of defaulting in paying a debt, punched Masindi chief Magistrate Catherine Agwero, injuring her before she was rushed for medical attention.
http://nilepost.co.ug/2017/12/13/judge-survives-death-as-suspect-jumps-on-bench-pummels-her-for-sentencing-him/
Masindi Grade One Magistrate, Dan Mwesiga found Kyogonza guilty of assault and contempt of court before sentencing him to seven years in jail.
Earlier, Kyaligonza had been given an option of either paying Shs 4.8 million or be imprisoned for six months before he punched the presiding magistrate.
In his sentence ,Mwesiga said Kyogonza would serve five years for assault and two years for contempt of court.
The grade one magistrate explained that the convict had failed to be remorseful for attacking the chief magistrate.
Earlier,he had asked court for a lenient sentence, saying he was a first time offender and that he was provoked by the chief magistrate on the fateful and other days when she frustrated his efforts to file his defense.
http://nilepost.co.ug/2017/12/17/judiciary-condemns-assault-of-masindi-chief-magistrate/
However, Mwesiga rejected the request arguing that the former clinical officer should have sought redress from a higher court instead of taking matters in his own hands.
While presenting their case, prosecution claimed that Kyogonza jumped from the dock and punched the magistrate several times on the head leaving her unconscious.
Prosecution also told court that the magistrate was rescued by court clerks, prison warders, police officers and some of the people who were present in the court.
They presented a medical report from Kitara Medical Centre indicating that the magistrate had been found to be weak with severe headache and backache all caused by the assault by Kyaligonza.
