Opio Bua James v Uganda (M.A. No.33 Of 2008) (M.A. No.33 of 2008) [2008] UGHC 85 (23 May 2008)
Full Case Text
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)}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8 \pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid10030392\charrsid10159621 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10030392 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 IN THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA AT GULU \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 HCT \hich\f0 \endash \loch\f0 02 \hich\f0 \endash \loch\f0 CO \hich\f0 \endash \loch\f0 MA \hich\f0 \endash \loch\f0 0001 \hich\f0 \endash \loch\f0 200}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid10030392\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 8}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 (Arising from Criminal Case no. 492 of 2007) \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10030392 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 OPIO BUA JAMES :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid10030392\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ::::::::::}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 :::APPLICANT \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10030392 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 =VERSUS= \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10030392 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 UGANDA:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ::::::::}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid10030392\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 :}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ::::}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid10030392\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 :::::::}{ \b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ::RESPONDENT \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10030392 {\b\ul\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 BEFORE: HON. JUSTICE REMMY K. KASULE \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10030392 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 RULING \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The applicant applies for bail pending his trial for aggravated armed robbery and unlawful possession of ammunition. \par \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The state}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ,}{\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 though served}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ,}{\dbch\af12\insrsid4356033\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 did not appear in court to sup\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 port or oppose the application. \par \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The applicant is a police officer attached to Kangai Police outpost. He was the second in-charge of the out post. \par \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The charges of aggravated armed robbery and unlawful possession of ammunition are very serious charges. \par \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The applicant has not availed to court, through his supporting affidavit, any copy of the charge sheet. The court is thus totally left in the dark as to the particulars of the charges. \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid3818219\charrsid10159621 \tab \tab }{\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 It is claimed that the applicant had been released on police bond w\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 hich he was honouring before being charged}{\dbch\af12\insrsid3818219\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 . T}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 he }{\dbch\af12\insrsid3818219\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 evidence as to this }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 is }{\dbch\af12\insrsid3818219\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 contradictory. Paragraph 3 of his supporting affidavit states that he was first arrested on 28.11.2007 and released on }{\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 police}{\dbch\af12\insrsid3818219\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 bond on 04.12.2007. Yet in paragraph 4 of the same affid\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 avit he avers that he was re-arrested on 02. 12. 2007; a date when he was already under arrest according to paragraph 3 of his affidavit. There is }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 n}{ \dbch\af12\insrsid3818219\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 o explanation as to how he could be re-}{\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 arrested}{\dbch\af12\insrsid3818219\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 on 02.12.2007 when he was already under arrest from 28.11.2\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 007 up to 04.12.2007 when he was released on police bond. \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 In his affidavit, there is no explanation as to what happened to his police bond form. From the bar, applicants counsel claimed that the police bond paper was taken away from the applicant by DIP\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Odwe of Lira Central Police station. This is a serious allegation against }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 a }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 senior police officer and }{ \dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 therefore}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 the applicant ought to have made it on oath in }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 h}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 is supporting affidavit so that its veracity is tested. \par \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The applicant has not proved any exc\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 eptional circumstance as he is required to do}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 }{ \dbch\af12\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 so by section 15 of the }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 T}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 rial }{ \dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 O}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 n Indictments Act, Cap.23. \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 In the absence of an exceptional circumstance, the applicant has the further burden of convincing court as to why the court should exercise its discre \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 tion and grant bail to him}{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 .}{\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 }{\dbch\af12\insrsid9316071\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 S}{\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 uch a burden cannot be said to have been discharged when the applicant leaves the court in the dark as to the particulars of the offence and also when the averments in the supporting affidavit are contradictory and thus not rel\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 iable. \par \tab \tab \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 This application for bail fails. \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The same stands dismissed. \par \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid10030392\charrsid10159621 \par \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ....................................................... \par }{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid1988840\charrsid10159621 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Remmy K. Kasule \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Judge \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 12.02.2008 \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\insrsid9067179\charrsid10159621 \tab \tab \par }}