People attending a court session during which Suleiman Jakana Nadduli was expected to be sentenced were left in shock after the former minister’s son made a u-turn and sought to change his plea.
Last week, Jakana was arrested, arraigned before a court in Luweero and charged with promoting sectarianism contrary to section 41 of the Penal Code Act.
He was then remanded to Butuntumula Prison until September 13, which was today.
When he appeared before John Paul Obuya, the Luwero Grade One Magistrate, today, Jakana was expected to be sentenced.
But his lawyer Patrick Olet of Omara Atubo and Company Advocates told court that Jakana had decided to change his plea from ‘guilty as charged’ to ‘not guilty.’
Grade One Magistrate Obuya granted Jakana’s request to amend his plea, saying it was a suspect’s right to change his or her mind.
As a result, the magistrate also nullified Jakana’s conviction, meaning that the ex-minister’s son will now have to undergo trial.
Obuya then ordered that the charges be read to Jakana so that he could take plea once again for court’s record.
Luwero State Attorney Roselyn Kipola, who was leading the prosecution side, alleged that on April 05, 2022, while in Luwero, Jakana, aged 37, a resident of Nakasero Zone in Wobulenzi Town, recorded and uploaded a Youtube video promoting sectarianism against Banyankore and Banyarwanda, an act that the state says was contrary to section 41(1) of the Penal Code Act.
Nadduli’s son pleaded not guilty.
His lawyer Olet then sought bail for his client, arguing that he had previously been involved in an accident and needed to be out of prison for treatment; that he his health condition would not make it possible for him to interfere with investigations into the matter; and that he was not known to be a criminal or repeat offender.
Olet even presented sureties, Jakana’s brother Omar Badru Kabugo and cousin Yusuf Kikomeko.
But the state prosecution objected to the bail application, saying Jakana was capable of interfering with investigations, and that the documents presented by his sureties were not substantial enough to be relied upon by court to release the suspect.
In the end, Grade One Magistrate Obuya announced that he will rule on Jakana’s bail application on September 21, 2022.
He further remanded Jakana to Butuntumula Prison until then.
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