By Solomon Hamala
IGANGA
A political nemesis for the Minister for Lands, Persis Namuganza has been released from prison where he has been for two months on remand.
Court in Iganga yesterday 27th October, 2020 started hearing a case in which Emmanuel Maganda, a contestant for the Bukhono Constituency is accused of assault and released him on court bail. Namaganza is the incumbent Member of Parliament.
Emmanuel Maganda, the District Speaker Namutumba district and four others are accused of assaulting supporters of State Minister for Lands Persis Namuganza on Election Day for the NRM primaries.
Prosecution alleged that the accused persons, Emmanuel Maganda, David Isabirye, Prossy Magala, Samuel Isiko and Bakali Mulamogi on September 4 this year while at Kiibale village, Kiibale Sub County assaulted eight supporters of Namuganza who were travelling to various polling stations to monitor the voting process.
Prosecution further alleges that the five accused persons later burnt down a vehicle registration number UAS 792 A belonging to one Kezron Matende that was carrying supporters of his opponent, Persis Namuganza.
All the five accused persons pleaded not guilty to the eight charges of assault read to them by Grade One Magistrate Yunusu Ndiwalana.
Ndiwalana later granted bail to the accused persons who had spent over two months on remand at Busesa government prisons on condition they deposited a cash bond of shillings 100,000 each and a non-cash bail of shillings one million to each of the sureties .
Emmanuel Maganda who was nominated recently in absentia to contest for the Bukono parliamentary seat against Persis Namuganza after the court session said the accusations leveled against him are simply politically motivated.
“My opponent just wants to tarnish my image by forging allegations against me but am aware victory is on my side,” he said.
Maganda said her opponent also took advantage of his arrest on the voting day of the NRM primaries to manipulate results of the polls in her favor.
“Even a child in the constituency knows very well that I won the elections for the NRM primaries,” he said.
The lawyer representing the accused persons, John Isabirye said the charges preferred against her clients were politically tramped up and intended to malice his political career.
