Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President Patrick Amuriat, alongside Hon. Jonathan Ebwalu and four other co-accused have been granted bail by the Soroti Chief Magistrate’s Court while they were is Soroti prison on a zoom session.
The decision made today comes after a dramatic legal battle that saw the opposition figures charged with unlawful assembly, common nuisance, burning vehicle tires on the road, blocking traffic and assaulting three police officers which many believe to be politically motivated.
The presiding Magistrate Her Worship Hilda Bakanansa Walaga ruled that each of the accused has to pay a cash bail of UGX 4.5 million and a surety bound of a non cash obligation of UGX 10 million as a condition for their temporary freedom.
Patrick Amuriat and his co-accused were arrested earlier this month. Their detention sparked outrage among opposition supporters who claim the arrests were part of a larger suppression on political protests.
The courtroom was packed with legal teams, opposition leaders and party supporters anxiously awaiting the ruling a clear indication of the gravity of the case.
The defence lawyer Moses Okot Bitek expressed relief after securing the bail.
“We got bail for all the accused persons that we had applied for in all the files,” he said.
He also accused the government for filling multiple charges in different files saying it an abuse of procedure.
The government has yet to provide a clear explanation regarding the arrests but many opposition figures argue that the state is using the judiciary as a tool to silence opposition.
The detention and subsequent release of Amuriat and his co-accused come at a time when political temperatures in Uganda are rising.
With the next general elections looming, the opposition has been vocal about what they term as “state-sponsored intimidation tactics” aimed at weakening their political base.
The heavy UGX 4.5 million bail fee imposed on each of the accused also raises questions about the fairness of the judicial process particularly in a country where political prosecutions have become common.
The news of Amuriat’s bail sparked mixed reactions, his supporters celebrated outside the court and many expressed frustrations over what they see as continuous harassment of opposition figures.
Although Amuriat and his co-accused are out on bail, they will have to return to court for further hearings.
The opposition is likely to use this incident to rally more support while the government may continue to tighten its grip on political activities.
