The Deputy Spokesperson of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, has asked the presiding magistrate at Kawempe Magistrates Court, Damalie Agumaasiimwe, to excuse herself from handling his case and that of other NUP supporters accused of unlawful drilling.
Mufumbiro made the request as he appeared in court alongside other accused persons for further proceedings, following an earlier appearance in which they were denied mandatory bail.
Addressing the court, Mufumbiro argued that the magistrate was not in a position to independently adjudicate the matter.
He claimed that the court was acting under external influence and therefore could not deliver justice.
“The magistrate is not able to make what I would call self-decisions. She is acting on orders and cannot serve justice,” Mufumbiro told the court.
The request for recusal comes amid continued complaints by NUP leaders and lawyers over what they describe as unfair treatment of opposition supporters in politically sensitive cases.
The accused maintain that the charges against them are unlawful and politically motivated.
Security was heightened at the court as the prisoners were escorted in, with supporters observing proceedings from outside the courtroom. Court officials later restored order as the session continued.