The hearing of the bail application of the former Rubaga Deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Anderson Burora Herbert, has flopped over the absence of the trial magistrate.
Burora was arrested last month and detained at Kira Road police station and later at Central Police station. He was arraigned before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate and subsequently remanded to Luzira.
He is facing charges of hate speech and spreading malicious information against Speaker of Parliament Anita Among.
Prosecution alleges that between March 2024 and June 2024 in the areas of Kampala District or thereabout, while using a computer via X handle shared information that is likely to ridicule, degrade, demean, and promote hostility against a person of the Anita Annet Among, the Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
Through his lawyers, led by David Kamukama, he applied for bail; however, the prosecution led by Richard Birivumbuka, asked for adjournment to determine the authenticity of his sureties.
However, earlier today, the court couldn’t proceed due to the absence of trial magistrate Ronald Kayizi and was subsequently remanded until July 25, 2024.
In the previous court session, the defense’s lawyer, David Kamukama, said the charge sheet, the way it stands, defends the rules of drafting a charge sheet. The person appearing in court should be given facts and understand the cases he committed. The charge was later amended to introduce new charges.
“The charge sheet before the court alleges that he made work between March and June. The words were not produced. Surely the works must be specific; they can’t be guessed. He could have made words about greetings, praising her but saying that whatever you made between March and June is improper,” he said.
He said that the complainant has failed to prove that the Twitter handles she claims to have been used belong to Burora. Any person can use it, including the complainant, and it alleges that it is our client. He asked that the matter be dismissed.
