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Bobi Wine charged with disobedience of statutory duty over Mobile money tax protest

Monday April 29 2019
bobi wine

Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi popularly known as Bobi Wine has appeared at Buganda Road Court in Uganda’s capital Kampala and charged with disobedience of statutory duty, an offence prosecution says he committed in July 2018.

Prosecution on Monday stated that Bobi Wine, his brother Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu, one David Lule, Edward Sebufu and other still at large disobeyed lawful orders by holding an illegal protest contrary to section 116 of the Penal Code Act.

“David Lule, Katongole Julius, Nyanzi Fred Ssentamu, Sebufu Edward, Robert Kyagulanyi and others still at large on July 11, 2018 at City Square Kampala road in Kampala District disobeyed sections 5 and 10 of the Public Order Managemnet Act 2013 by holding a public meeting without giving notice to any authorised officer, holding a public meeting a public meeting without adhering to the required criteria and refusing to coordinate and cooperate with police with police to ensure that all participants are unarmed and peaceful,” reads part of the charge sheet, a copy of which was seen by this reporter.

By the time of filing this story, the MP and his co-accused were trying to secure bail.
However, his sureties are among several people, including journalists who were blocked by security from access court premises.Kyadondo East legislator Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine is Monday expected to report to police Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID), at Kibuli.

The MP was last week summoned by the Deputy Director of CID, Mr Joseph Obwona.

Police allege that Bobi Wine incited violence and held unlawful assembly on Easter Monday in Busabala, Wakiso District.

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“Inquiries are being conducted in the above quoted reference whereby on the April 22, 2019, you were allegedly involved in inciting violence and unlawful assembly in defiance of the Inspector General of Police guidelines during the preparation of Kyarenga Extra Concert at Busabala,” the letter that summoned him, reads in part.

On Wednesday last week, the State Minister for Internal Affairs Obiga Kania told Parliament that Bobi Wine was confined at his home at Magere, Kasangati, because of criminal cases against him. But he was able to leave his home on Thursday after police officers withdrew.

On Easter Friday, police blocked Bobi Wine concerts around the country saying he had failed to fulfil the security guidelines. On Easter Monday, he travelled to his Busabala One Love Beach to hold a press conference, but the police didn’t allow him to access the facility and arrested him on the way. He was later put under house arrest.

This is not the first time police have summoned Bobi Wine at CID headquarters at Kibuli. In September 2017, Bobi Wine reported to CID headquarters and recorded a statement on the brawls in Parliament during a debate on lifting the presidential age limit.

Since then the police didn’t pursue the case.

He is also battling treason charges in court on allegations that he stoned a car in the presidential convoy in August 2018.

Incitement to violence charges have been police’s main tool used against opposition supporters.

Over 100 opposition supporters have pending cases of incitement to violence at police. Most of the suspects have never been charged in court.

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