Proprietors and editors of the Red Pepper newspaper fear that their bail application could be prolonged to next year, making it difficult for them to resume business and reunite with their families.
The proprietors; Patrick Mugumya, Johnson Musinguzi, Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Richard Tusiime and James Mujuni, have since requested their lawyer Max Mutabingwa, to focus on applying for bail only at the Buganda Chief Magistrate’s court
Mutabingwa, speaking to the media about the status of his clients’ bail application says he had opted to go to the high court to try and secure bail for his clients but their objection means he cannot go any further.
“I met my clients who said I should halt the process of going to the High Court. We are meeting on Tuesday to have a final discussion on the matter. They were not comfortable with going to High Court. They think the file will take long time like in the Magistrate Court.As a lawyer, I represent my clients. You can’t make a decision without permission from your clients,” he said.
Red Pepper proprietors with their editors Ben Byarabaha,Richard Kintu and Francis Tumusiime were further remanded to Luzira on December 5, 2017 after Buganda Road Chief Magistrate James Ereemye Mawanda said he needed time to study volumes of documents produced by police and prosecutors related to the case.
