The Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, Dr. Sarah Bireete, returns to the Buganda Road Magistrates Court today for a ruling on her bail application after spending nearly three weeks on remand.
Dr. Bireete is expected to appear before Grade One Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko, who at the last sitting deferred the ruling for seven days, citing prosecution claims that the sureties presented by the defence were not substantial.
The decision to adjourn the ruling disappointed Bireete’s legal team, who argued that the delay was unnecessary and unfair, particularly after the prosecution had concluded its submissions.
State prosecutors opposed the bail application, maintaining that the proposed sureties failed to meet the legal threshold of substantiality.
They also dismissed claims that Bireete’s medical condition justified her release, arguing that bail on medical grounds can only be granted where there is proof that the Uganda Prisons Service is unable to manage an accused person’s health needs.
In response, Bireete’s lawyer, Jude Byamukama, told court that continued detention would amount to treating his client as though she had already been convicted.
He reminded the court that the presumption of innocence is a constitutional right guaranteed to every accused person until proven guilty.
Dr. Bireete was arrested on December 30, 2025, and arraigned before court on January 2, 2026. She is charged with unlawful obtaining or disclosure of personal data, contrary to Section 35(1) and (2) of the Data Protection and Privacy Act.
The court is expected to deliver its ruling on the bail application today.