The High Court will on Friday this week rule on whether or not the 11 Buganda youths have a case to answer in regard to the terrorism charges against them.
This is after both the prosecution and defence wound up with their submissions in light of the matter after 3 weeks of an intensive trial.
In his submissions on Wednesday, State prosecutor Vincent Wagona asked trial judge Ralph Ochan to order the youths to defend themselves as he had proved the essential elements of the case for them to answer.
Wagona informed court that prosecution was able to prove that the youths carried out an attack on Nateete police station where over 25 vehicles were burnt and that the motive of this attack was to influence government and the whole public for a social, political or economic gain.
He added that during this trial, the evidence of the gist of this case was also established as a refusal of Buganda leaders to attend youth day celebrations in Kayunga district.
Wagona, however, admitted some inconsistencies in the evidence of his 11 witnesses such as a one Detective Corporal Edward Mukholi, whom he said that he lied to court that 2 of these youths had been convicted by Nsangi court whereas not. He also admitted that police produced the suspects in court after 11 days contrary to the constitution but attributed it to the insecurity and numerous arrests done by then.
In reply, defence lawyers Apollo Makubuya and Medard Sseggona asked Justice Ochan to disregard Wagona’s excuses and once again appealed to court to set free these youths because their trial is a nullity.
The 11 are part of the 21 who were arrested following the September 2009 Buganda riots. The riots broke out after government blocked Buganda King, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, from visiting Bugerere in Kayunga district. Over the last one month, ten of those arrested were released after the state lost failed to get witnesses to testify against them.
