Ugandan opposition leader Besigye released on $30,000 bail

Jailed Ugandan opposition leader, Kizza Besigye has been granted bail on Tuesday after spending two months in prison remand for treason charges.

Kizza Besigye has been granted Shs100m non-cash bail. https://t.co/703O0EichJ pic.twitter.com/Ar6X5oiucS

— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) July 12, 2016

Besigye requested for bail on Monday on conditions that he was of advanced age, he had a permanent residence in the country and was ready to appear before the court as was required.

“Having weighed all the circumstances and factors one after the other, I am inclined to grant bail to the applicant,” the High Court judge Wilson Masalu Musene said.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leader and former presidential candidate was granted a bail bond of 100 million Ugandan shillings (about $30,000), and his four sureties were also bonded 100 million Ugandan shillings.

Each of the four sureties that Besigye presented was also bonded Shs100m non-cash bail. https://t.co/703O0EichJ pic.twitter.com/jmmru15Dgp

— Daily Monitor (@DailyMonitor) July 12, 2016

His sureties include FDC party president Mugisha Muntu, General Secretary of FDC party, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, Rukungiri Municipality MP Roland Mugume and Rubaga Division mayor, Joyce Ssebugwawo.

The judge however warned Besigye to refrain from acts of violence and preserve peace in the community until the case is over. He is also supposed to report to the court registrar once every two weeks starting July 26.

The State Prosecutor had appealed to the court on Tuesday to reject Besigye’s application stating that if granted bail he will restart his defiance campaign.

Earlier this month, Dr Kizza Besigye was relieved of one of the cases against him after the state withdrew the disobedience of lawful orders charges against him. He however protested the withdrawal of the charges calling it a total abuse of power.

Dr Kizza Besigye, who came second in Uganda’s February 18 elections, was arrested on May 11 and charged with treason after swearing himself in as president of the country.

Besigye won 35 per cent of the votes and declared the polls were rigged and will not approve Museveni’s presidency.

This is the second time that Besigye is being charged with treason after the first trial in 2005 was dropped. The penalty for treason in Uganda is death or life imprisonment.