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Court adjourns Arua by-election saga case

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Gulu Grade One Magistrate Court presided over by Isaac Kintu on Monday adjourned the Arua by-election saga case involving Bobi Wine and others to January 10, 2019.

The adjournment of the hearing follows the prayer by Paul Weponde, the state prosecutor who said the police are yet to complete investigations into the case.

Bobi Wine and several others are alleged to have caused havoc in during the Arua by-election that was won by Wadri Kasiano months ago.

Earlier on, Counsel Tony Kitara, who is one of the lawyers representing the accused persons, said court should proceed with the case.

He urged court to prevail over the prosecutor and police so that the case goes on to avoid what he called persecution of his clients.

He also asked for a longer adjournment of the hearing since majority of the accused are peasants who struggle to raise money to report to court and that some stay in faraway districts like Kampala and Arua.

In his ruling, Isaac Kintu asked the prosecutor to speed up the investigations since most of the accused persons come from outside Gulu district.

“I have heard from both the state and the defense teams. Accordingly, the state is called upon to speed up their investigations because I also note that most of the accused persons come from outside this jurisdiction,” said Kintu before adjourning the case to January 10, 2019 for further mention.

Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, the MP for Kyadonodo East and one of the accused said despite them full filling their responsibilities, the outcome is not encouraging.

“We came to court today to full fill our side of responsibility although the outcome is not encouraging, for example we have been given a very nearby date to show up to court even though our lawyers tried to bring it up to the judge that we need some time as the state goes on with investigation.” Said Hon. Kyagulanyi

Hon. Kasiano Wadri, the Arua Municipality MP said they will stop reporting to court if the required six months elapsed before investigation is completed.

“The charge against us is of a capital nature and the law is very clear in its provision that when a suspect is brought before court of law for capital offense of that nature, the investigation must be completed within six months so that the evidence is produced before court to be taken to high court.” Said Hon. Kasiano

“This therefore means we are counting the months we’ve reported to court and should we clock and hit six months to report here and police continue dilly darling that they are not through with their investigations, we shall by the law, stop coming to court.” He went on

Hon. Kasiano Wadri, Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi and 33 others are facing charges of treason following the saga of the Arua Municipality by-election on 13th August.

Meanwhile the court has issued criminal summons for Ntungamo municipality MP, Gerald Karuhanga and Jinja east legislator, Paul Mwiru after they failed to appear before court alongside others.

Defence lawyer Henry Kirima informed court that Mwiru was not obliged to appear for mention of the case while MP Karuhanga was in Burundi for inter-parliamentary games that are scheduled to take 10 days.

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