The Law Development Court (LDC)has granted a cash bail of 1 million shillings to all six female activists netted last week during protests at Mulago rounadabout in Kamwokya , Kampala.
The women including Deputy lord mayor Doreen Nyanjura, Soroti East Woman MP, Anna Adeke, Wokuri Madanda, Susan Nanyonjo, Miriam Kizito and Alice Amony are members of opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The group staged a protest against rising commodity prices and detention of People’s Front for Transition (PFT) pressure group leader Dr. Kizza Besigye.
On Tuesday, the Court presided over by the Acting Chief Magistrate Augustine Alule granted the accused the cash bail under the tight security of three police guards. Their sureties got a non-cash bond of 10 million shillings each.
He however criticked a the recent bail ruling to Besigye by the High Court Judge Michael Elubu as costly, stating that bail is not a punishment but a constitutional right.
Similarly, lawyers to the accused led by Erias Lukwago complained about the bail cash to their clients still being costly despite bail being a constitutional right.
“Bail is now a punishment, its like squeezing water out of a stone, Article 23 of the constitution gives the discretion for one to get bail, but courts are now acting out of fear or influence from the state getting bail is a tag of war,”Lukwago said
On Monday, the former Forum for Democratic Change Party President Besigye was granted a cash 3million bail on similar charges.
