The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Three Nigerians and four Ugandans have been remanded to Kitalya Government’s prison for doing an act that is most likely to spread an infectious disease.
The three Nigerians are Temilade Openiyi , Stanley Omar Didia and Muyiwa Awoniyi. They are jointly charged with four Ugandans including some of the organisers of the concert Kim Salim and Benjamin Kabuura, Phillip Kasakya an event security coordinator and Ivan Ddungu who owns the venue where the concert was held.
The group was on Monday afternoon arraigned before the Makindye Magistrates Court presided over by Grade One Magistrate Jude Okumu, charged with one offense of doing an act that is most likely to spread an infectious disease.
Prosecution alleges that the accused persons and others still at large on December 12 2020 at Ddungu Resort located in Munyonyo in Makindye Division held a music concert where a Nigerian musician performed. As a result, more than 200 people gathered without observing the ministry of health guidelines, an act which the State alleges that was most likely to spread an infectious disease.
However, the accused persons have all denied the charges.
Their lawyers led by Emmanuel Muwonge attempted to apply for bail but the State Prosecution led by Gertrude Apio requested for more time to respond to the application.
Consequently the Magistrate remanded all the five men to Kitalya Government’s prison and the two women to Kigo prison until December 16, 2020.
They have also been advised to appear before the High Court that day to continue with the application via a video conferencing link that connects to their respective prisons.
The Nigerian accused persons after the remand pronouncement attempted to resist being hundcuffed by police but the security forcefully succeeded.
Omar who had his phone in his hands in court quickly posted on his Twitter handle “Why am I being detained? Why am I not been given a right to a fair hearing?”
The accused Nigerian who is one of the nominees for the Mama Awards which are to be hosted in Uganda next year was heard saying that they had been duped by the organizers that the concerts were allowed in the country. Suzie Muwanga a Lecturer at Makerere University who is said to be a mother to one of the accused persons was also present and chaotic cursing government for the arrest.
Trouble for the accused persons started after a picture of Omar went viral on social media showing Omar performing at the concert as his hundreds of supporters cheered him up.
The picture stirred anger among Ugandans wondering how foreigners would be allowed to hold concerts in the country when for them they are not being allowed and have since struggled for survival following the nationwide lockdown.
In the aftermath, police raided their respective lodgings at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo and arrested them save for Ddungu who was picked at the venue of the concert.
In March 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government through President Yoweri Museveni suspended a number of activities and gatherings that were gathering more than five people.
Although some gatherings like religious events were later on permitted to reopen while observing Standard operating procedures, the bars and music concerts to date have not yet been authorized to reopen.
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