Court grants Mabirizi mandatory bail

What the report says

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala has granted lawyer Male Mabirizi mandatory bail after finding that he had spent more than the 60 days allowed on remand before his trial began. According to the ruling delivered on Friday by Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa, the court said the constitutional and statutory threshold for compulsory release had been met.

The court set several conditions for his release, including a cash bail of 2 million shillings, two substantial sureties, verification of his place of residence, surrender of a passport if he has one, and a ban on leaving Uganda without permission. It also ordered him not to interfere with prosecution witnesses and to appear in court whenever required. Mabirizi said he would challenge the passport condition, which he said could delay his release.

The magistrate declined Mabirizi’s request to dismiss the case for want of prosecution. She said the case was being handled by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and that the absence of complainants at mention hearings did not mean the matter had stalled. The court also rejected his objections to the charges, including arguments on jurisdiction, double jeopardy, and the application of communications law to TikTok posts.

Mabirizi faces charges tied to alleged TikTok publications said to target Chief Justice Flavian Zeija and Justice Musa Ssekaana, as well as an allegation of broadcasting without a licence. The court also ordered that further proceedings be held in chambers, citing intense online commentary and concerns about the fairness and order of the trial.