State Minister for Labour, Hon Mwesigwa Rukutana has been released on a shs4million cash bail while facing charges of attempted murder, threatening violence, assault causing bodily harm and malicious damage has been on remand at Kitalya prison since September 7.
“He was also ordered to deposit his passport, and his sureties were bonded at 50m not cash. He can access his passport whenever he wants to travel,” his lawyer Owen Mulangira revealed.
According to the bail application filed last week, the minister through his lawyers sought to dismiss concerns by State Prosecution that he was likely to interfere with investigations once out on bail.
Rukutana’s lawyers argued that a mere allegation that he would interfere with elections was not enough ground to deny him bail.
“The applicant should not be deprived of his/her freedom unreasonably and bail should not be refused merely as a punishment as this would conflict with the presumption of innocence. The refusal to grant bail should not be based on mere allegations,” determined the Constitutional Court on September 25, 2006.
“The grounds must be substantiated. Both High Court and the subordinate Courts have discretionary powers to set bail conditions which they deem reasonable, though this must be done with caution.”
Today Rukutana was granted his bail and is free despite President Yoweri Museveni’s desire to have had him locked up for a while longer.
Minister mwesigwa Rukutana finally released on bail# observer. pic.twitter.com/yZoAxiXE4O
— Mugulusi samuel (@mugulusi_samuel) September 15, 2020
