Masaka grade one Magistrate Arthur Ziraba has acquitted National Unity Platform (NUP) political party supporters who have been battling charges of inciting violence and committing acts likely to spread the Coronavirus disease Covid-19.
At least 36 people including leaders and supporters of NUP in Masaka district were arrested on November 18th, 2020, shortly after the arrest of their party president and former Presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine while on his campaign trail in Luuka district.
The suspects included among others Florence Namayanja, the Bukoto East constituency MP, Dr. Abed Bwanika, and Juliet Kakande, the MPs elect Kimanya-Kabonera division and Masaka district respectively.
They were arrested on suspicion of masterminding the protests in Masaka that followed the arrest of Kyagulanyi.
However, after repeated adjournments due to the prosecution’s failure to adduce the required evidence against the suspects the trial magistrate decided to dismiss the case.
In his ruling, Ziraba castigated police for congesting courts with unfounded cases whose prosecution they cannot support with evidence.
Some of the suspects indicated their intentions to pursue the individual police officers for malicious prosecution and torturing them during the arrest.
