No more media, public in NUP Court martial suspects case-GCM rules

The General Court Martial Makindye has granted the application seeking to bar the public and media from covering the hearing session where 32 NUP supporters who are battling charges of illegal possession of explosive devices at court martial Makindye are tried.
 
In their ruling the seven member panel led by Brigadier Freeman Mugabe ruled that media or public won’t be allowed in the courtroom when witnesses that need to be protected come to testify.
 
They further ruled that disclosure to defense will be done but without disclosing the witnesses and also that the very disclosure will be done at least one week before hearing of their evidence.
 
Initially state had also wanted the public and media to be barred from attending the bail application process noting that this was due to the poor conduct of one Muhydin Kakooza whom they are assuming that he acts abnormally because of cameras.
 
However, on Monday, public and media were allowed to access court during the bail application hearing after the guidance of the judge advocate who noted that there was no solid issue in prohibiting the public to attend a bail hearing after all surieties came from the public.
 
This is the second time the group is asking bail after being denied bail by the same chairman on four grounds which included; the offense is of a serious nature, the surieties weren’t substantial, the accused have no substantial places of aboard and that they are likely to interfere with the investigations if released.
 
Prosecution accuses Rashid Ssegujja and 31 others of being found in illegal possession of 13 explosive devices, which are ordinarily the monopoly of the defense forces. According to the prosecution, the suspects committed the offenses between November 2020 and May 2021 in Jinja, Mbale, Kireka, Nakulabye, Kawempe, Natete, and Kampala Central.