By Bill Oketch
Magistrate Musa Ammaari Ssemwogerere was on Thursday denied bail by the Lira Chief Magistrate’s Court over lack of substantial sureties and further remanded to Lira prison awaiting trial.
Ssemwogerere, who made his second appearance before court at 12:55 pm on Thursday, was on July 28 remanded to Lira Central Prison for allegedly sitting exams for his female friend, Irene Mutonyi.
He allegedly committed the said offence at the Law Development Centre (LDC), Lira campus, in July, before he was apprehended.
Following his arrest, he was paraded before Lira Magistrate’s Court and charged with two counts of forgery and one of impersonation before he was sent to jail.
The accused also presented five sureties whom he believed were substantial enough to allow him gain his temporary freedom. They included five men and one woman, with three of the male sureties said to be leaders of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) in their respective districts.
“For the case of the fourth applicant, the LC1 chairman I rang on the phone, said the applicant only talked to him through his wife. The second applicant has an LC1 letter but there is no record of the duration of the time he has been a resident there,” the chief state prosecutor told court.
He said the third surety claims to be a produce dealer in Lira City but the LC1 letter does not indicate whether he is a resident of the area or just someone who comes, buys produce, and takes it elsewhere.
“The accused person stays in Rubaga Division (Kampala) but some of his sureties stay in Luweero, about 10 kilometers away and this makes it very difficult for them to supervise the accused,” Mr Amalu added.
