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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court has remanded former presidential candidate, Joseph Kabuleta, to Luzira prison on charges of promoting sectarianism.
Kabuleta of the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue-NEED, was on Wednesday arraigned before court presided over by Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa, and charged with one count of promoting sectarianism, which he denied.
Court heard that Kabuleta and Prossy Ayebare, another member of NEED and others still at large published statements contained in a video, and such statements are likely to create alienation and despondency, raise discontent or disaffection, and promote feelings of ill will or hostility among the Banyarwanda, Bahima, and Banyankore.
According to the charge sheet signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo, the crimes were allegedly committed on May 30th, 2022 in Kampala, and the statements posted on a YouTube channel ‘Joseph Kabuleta/about” titled National Economic Empowerment Dialogue Press Conference.
But Kabuleta denied the charges. The State Attorney Doreen Elima informed court that investigations into this matter are still ongoing.
Kabuleta’s lawyer Remmy Bagenda attempted to apply for bail on the basis that his client has a regular treatment that he is supposed to access. However, Kidasa advised him to do so in the next court session citing that she had other court matters to attend to.
Neumbe remanded Kabuleta until December 14th, 2022, and issued criminal summons to Ayebare.
Kabuleta was arrested on Monday from his office in Bugolobi, by plain-clothed security personnel who were traveling in a navy blue Toyota Hiace vehicle popularly known as a drone.
On Tuesday, the police said that Kabuleta allegedly defied summons that required him to appear before the Kampala Metropolitan Police Headquarters to record a statement on the charges following a Police General inquiry that began on June 14th, 2022 by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
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