Masaka High Court grants bail to Eddie Mutwe

What the report says

The High Court in Masaka has granted bail to four bodyguards of National Unity Platform president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, in a case involving allegations of aggravated robbery, malicious damage to property and assault. The ruling was delivered by Senior Resident Judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba, who set cash bail at 5 million shillings for each accused and required their sureties to execute non-cash bonds of 50 million shillings each.

The four are Achilleo Kivumbi, Edward Ssebuwuufu alias Eddie Mutwe, Grace Wakabi alias Smart-wa Bobi, and Gadhafi Mugumya. The court also ordered them to surrender their passports and report monthly to the Deputy High Court Registrar. According to the report, the charges arise from an incident in May 2024 during a disruption at the burial of UK-based businessman Pascal Ssekasamba in Kisekka Sub-county, Lwengo District.

The prosecution alleges that the group assaulted journalists and damaged recording devices, including a video camera and smartphones, and that some property was stolen. Their lawyers argued for bail on the basis that they had spent a long time on remand and had family responsibilities. The application was their second. NUP later said the men may not all be freed immediately because some face separate proceedings in another court in Kawempe.

The case matters because it involves prominent opposition figures and allegations linked to a public event that affected journalists and others. As reported by The Independent Uganda, the party said it would help raise the funds needed to meet the bail terms.