Court in Jinja has denied bail to six suspects who were allegedly involved in homosexuality according to a video that went viral on social media last month.
According to Jinja Grade One Magistrate, Mr Yafesi Ochieng, the denial of bail to these is in their own safety.
“It is our mandate as the court to protect the accused persons; releasing them to a biased society cannot guarantee their safety, so prison is their safe place,’’ Mr Ochieng ruled.
A 17-second video was last month shared on various social media platforms, showing four of the suspects having sex, while three of them served as women.
The accused, Geoffrey Ibanda, Sadic Wassajja, Sadat Kamya, Fabian Kalungi, Hamza Katamba and Brian Kiiza, were arrested from Mpumudde Zone, Southern Division, Jinja City on March 17 and arraigned before Jinja Grade One Magistrate, Mr Yafesi Ochieng, who charged them with indecency and procuring gross indecency and remanded them at Kirinya Prison.
It is during their re-arraignment for a ruling on their bail application on Monday that Mr Ochieng further remanded them until May 10 because their case is also of public interest.
Other grounds cited for denying the suspects bail were based on submissions by the Prosecution that they failed to furnish the court with relevant information about their place of residence.
At the time of the suspects’ arrest, the Kiira Region Police Spokesperson, Mr James Mubi, said they were allegedly found with 192 sachets of lubricants, shirts and tags with LGBTQ logos, and a metallic banner of peace and comfort with the LGBTQ flag.
About The Author
