By Frank Kamuntu
Igara East MP Michael Mawanda has been released on bail after appearing before the High Court on Friday morning. Mawanda, along with Paul Akamba and Counsel Julius Kirya, were granted bail set at Shs35 million each, with their sureties required to post Shs50 million non-cash alongside other conditions.
These conditions include the surrender of their passports to the court and mandatory reporting to the court registry every two weeks.
Mawanda, who serves as the Director of Mobilisation for the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), and the colleagues were arrested in June on charges of corruption linked to the financial mismanagement of war loss compensation funds allocated to cooperatives. Since his detention, his supporters and friends have taken to social media to protest against his arrest.
In her ruling, Judge Kajuga emphasised that the decision to grant bail was in line with the constitutional rights of the accused, while also balancing the need to ensure that justice is served.
But the bail relief came exactly two weeks after the Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, criticized Mr Mawanda’s charges and incarceration, claiming that the Igara East MP was being persecuted.
PLU Chairman and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba described Mawanda as a political prisoner, saying he was targeted for supporting him.
“My friend, Michael Mawanda, is in prison (and they think we shall stay quiet forever) while people who have stolen from this country for decades are still ministers?” General Muhoozi posted.
In another post, he said: “He was taken to prison by some politically dilapidated people in NRM for the ‘great crime’ of supporting Muhoozi Kainerugaba in Bushenyi. That’s his only crime. Supporting me. Free Mawanda!”
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