NRM supporters freed after state withdraws State House trespass charges

Eleven National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters have been freed after the State withdrew criminal trespass charges against them over their return to State House Nakasero to follow up on a petition they had sought to deliver to President Yoweri Museveni.

The group was released on Wednesday after state attorneys Ayubu Kamba and Allan Mucunguzi told Buganda Road Chief Magistrates’ court that the state would no longer pursue the charges.

Senior principal grade one magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko subsequently dismissed the case and ordered the release of the accused, who had been held at Luzira Prison since they first appeared in court on September 9.

The freed supporters are Stephen Okello, 31, a teacher; Iddi Kigozi, 34, a manufacturer of school chalk and paint; Joan Muhaise, 32, a businesswoman; Robert Bayiga Tumuramye, 50, a social scientist; Fatiah Nakamya, 35, a businesswoman; Onesmas Tumutegereza, 37, a businessman; Yasin Owomugisha, 33, a businessman and parliamentary aspirant; Esther Twikirize, 32, a student; Cledonia Musiimenta, 47, a former district councillor and student; Caroline Arituha, 32, unemployed; and Seth Muyambi, 40, a former parliamentary contestant for Mbarara City South.

The charges arose from an incident at State House Nakasero on September 9, when the group returned to the presidential premises after an earlier visit to deliver a petition.

According to the prosecution case previously presented in court, the group had initially been allowed onto the premises but was later accused of remaining there with the intention of intimidating or annoying Special Forces Command (SFC) soldiers on duty.

The SFC is an elite unit of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces responsible for providing security to the President.

The 11 accused persons denied the allegations and were remanded to Luzira for two weeks pending today’s court appearance.

The case followed an earlier visit by the group to State House, where court records indicate that their petition was received and stamped. They were subsequently told that they would be contacted and given feedback.

When they returned the following day without having received the anticipated response, security personnel contacted police at the neighbouring Kampala Central Police Station which arrested them.

The state subsequently charged the group with criminal trespass and asked court to remand them to Luzira pending investigations.

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