Former Ugandan Police Inspector General Kale Kayihura released on bail

Reuters photo

By

Gloria Nakiyimba

Uganda’s former Inspector General of Police General Edward Kale Kayihura has been granted bail by the military court martial sitting in Kampala Tuesday morning.

Chairman of the General court martial Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti set a number of conditions that must be followed by the ex-police boss while on bail. Gen. Kaihura has been restricted to stay within Kampala and Wakiso districts except with permission from court. He has been banned from traveling abroad without permission from court and the army leadership.

The General has been ordered to report to the court martial every first Monday of the first week of the month, and to report as and when court requires. He was granted a non-cash bail of ten million shillings while his sureties entered a non cash bond of five million shillings each. General James Mugira, Maj. General Sam Kavuma and Entebbe Municipality Member of Parliament Hon. Rosemany Tumusiime stood surety for him.

Gen. Kaihura based his bail application on grounds that he was sick and requires specialized treatment abroad. He argued that it was his constitutional right to apply for bail and that he was of advanced age. He is 63 years old. The other ground was that he had substantial sureties to stand for him.

“Court finds that this is a case where bail should not be denied to the applicant” ruled Lt. Gen Gutti sending court into jubilations. Court was filled to capacity with family members, friends and supporters of Kaihura.

General Kaihura was charged last week with two counts of failure to protect war material, and aiding or abetting kidnapping and repatriation of Rwandan refugees and dissidents.

“The offenses are of very serious nature and attract a maximum penalty of death on conviction” Gen Gutti reminded Kaihura.

Following the ruling General Kaihura who was wearing an army uniform was seen smiling from the dock while his supporters burst out in ululations, laughter and others were seen to be praying.

He was arrested in June and has been in incarceration at the Makindye military barracks for more than two months. General Kaihura was the inspector general of Police from 2005 to 2018.

Gloria Nakiyimba

Gloria has experience spanning more than five years in Journalism, particularly in field reporting, editing, newscasting and management. She is currently working with Capital Radio Limited [91.3 Capital FM and 96.3 Beat FM] as Head of News, a position she has held since 2010.

Gloria previously worked as the Kampala Correspondent for Radio France International [RFI] generating local story leads with international inference for RFI’s global audience. She also served as Political Editor for The Weekly Mail Newspaper as well as Online Content Editor for the California based Ugandan broadcaster KubutakaRadio.com.