What you need to know:
In the new bail guidelines, the Judiciary clearly states that suspects facing capital offenses, including terrorism, may be granted bail in exceptional circumstances.
The Judiciary has set new rules for bail, auction, and representation of suspects in courts.
In its new bail practice direction guidelines launched yesterday, the Judiciary snubbed President Museveni’s opinion to deny bail to suspects facing capital charges until they have been in prison for at least 180 days.
In the new bail guidelines, the Judiciary states that suspects facing capital offenses, including terrorism, may be granted bail in exceptional circumstances.
This is contrary to the blanket proposal by the head of State late last year, to deny such suspects bail.
“The High Court may, in exceptional circumstances, grant bail to a person accused of committing any of the following offenses; an offense triable by the High Court; terrorism and any other offense punishable by more than 10 years imprisonment under the Terrorism Act, 2002, rape, embezzlement, causing financial offense, corruption and any other offense in respect of which a magistrate’s court has no jurisdiction to grant bail,” the new bail rules read.
The new guidelines dubbed “the Constitution (Bail Guidelines for Courts of Judicature), Practice Directions, 2022”, were officially launched by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo in Kampala yesterday.
