The Mbarara District Police Commander has told court that his life and that of his officers has remained under threat following the arrest and detention of 38 supporters of the National Unity Platform, as prosecutors strongly opposed their bid for release on bail.
SP Kenneth Kabwigo Gumisiriza made the disclosure on Thursday while appearing before Grade One Magistrate Alex Baguma, during yet another court appearance by the accused persons since they were arrested last month.
Kabwigo said the situation turned hostile after police carried out the arrests, adding that threats have continued to come in ever since. He told court that the security concerns should be taken seriously and used as a basis to deny the suspects bail.
He explained that the police officers involved in the operation were attacked while performing their duties and that the tension surrounding the case has not eased. According to him, releasing the suspects at this stage would put law enforcement officers at further risk.
State prosecutors Davis Ariho and Jacob Nahurira backed the police commander’s position, urging court to dismiss the bail application. They argued that the accused persons could interfere with investigations, witnesses, and evidence if they were released.
The prosecutors also told court that several of the applicants had failed to meet the legal requirements for bail. They said some did not present original national identity cards or proper letters from their local leaders, while others brought sureties who do not fall within the court’s jurisdiction.
Ariho further warned that the case involves allegations of violence and obstruction of police officers, insisting that granting bail could compromise the integrity of the trial.
Nahurira echoed the same concerns, saying the nature of the offence suggested a high likelihood of interference with witnesses if the suspects were allowed back into the community before investigations are complete.
However, defence lawyers led by Allan Musasire rejected the state’s objections, describing them as weak and legally unfounded. Musasire told court that the prosecution’s claims of violence were not supported by the charge sheet, arguing that the issue had been raised late to block bail.
He added that the prosecution could not claim investigations were still ongoing while at the same time insisting that witnesses were already at risk. According to the defence, this contradiction showed that the objections were meant to frustrate the accused rather than serve justice.
Musasire also dismissed the argument about sureties coming from outside the court’s jurisdiction, stating that the law does not require sureties to reside within the same area as the court handling the matter.
He asked the magistrate to ignore what he termed as amateur submissions and grant bail to the accused persons.
After listening to both sides, Magistrate Alex Baguma adjourned the case and set December 22, 2025, at 10am as the date for delivering a ruling on the bail application.