Kyaddondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu popularly known as Bobi Wine was on Thursday brought before the General Court Martial in Gulu and “charged under S 119 (1) (h) of the UPDF Act, 2005 on accounts of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.”
This happened in the presence of his two lawyers; Mr Asuman Basalirwa and Mr Medard Seggona, as violence erupted elsewhere in Kamwokya over his arrest and detainment.
Speaking to Journalists, Mr Medard Seggona called Ugandans to pray for the singer and noted that he [Bobi Wine] didn’t take plea since he was in a very poor health condition and handcuffed. The court was chaired by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti.
“Mr Kyagulanyi’s health is in dire state. He is in great pain. He can’t talk, he can’t walk, he sits with a lot of difficulty, his face is swollen and cannot see because of the torture by SFC soldiers. He couldn’t speak when the charges were read to him and I believe he didn’t know what was going or understood the charges read to him,” Mr Seggona remarked.
Seggona revealed that the General Court Martial agreed to let the lawyers and family access Bobi “in the future”.
“I think the situation is bad he needs prayers,” Sseggona recounted. Gen Gutti urged that Mr Kyagulanyi gets immediate medical attention.
Some of those arrested following the #Arua campaigns are badly injured – Atiku Shaban cannot walk. Two women Night Asara & Jane Abola also hurt. Night Asara was bleeding from her private parts in court. The magistrate ordered they be taken for medical treatment at their own cost. pic.twitter.com/uM9Q0LglP1
— Catherine Byaruhanga (@cathkemi) August 16, 2018
Sirens, gun shots, tear gas in kamwokya. #FreeBobiWine pic.twitter.com/OEsDXvFyXH
— @thereyuzer (@sugahless) August 16, 2018
Bobi Wine’s arrest came following heated rallies in Arua, some 440 kilometres, north-west of the capital Kampala, to replace slain MP Ibrahim Abiriga.
The campaigns went on peacefully before police allegedly clashed with supporters of independent candidate Kassiano Wadri, who included Bobi Wine. The singer posted that that his hotel was cordoned off by the security officials following the chaos that left his driver dead and several injured during the gun fire that rocked the by-election campaign.
President Yoweri Museveni’s lead car was reportedly vandalised in the chaos . Those arrested over the chaos included Mr Herbert Zziwa, a journalist with NTV Uganda together with another correspondent Ronald Muwanga.