Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded 16 youth supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) to Luzira Prison on robbery charges.
The group, aged between 16 and 28, appeared before Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko on Tuesday, where they were formally charged with one count of robbery. All pleaded not guilty.
According to the prosecution, led by State Attorney Allan Mucunguzi, the accused were involved in a violent robbery near the National Theatre in Kampala on Saturday, during President Yoweri Museveni’s nomination event.
Prosecution alleges that the group, along with others still at large, attacked a man identified as Kigozi Abdul and robbed him of a Samsung Galaxy phone, a Nokia handset, and UGX 600,000 in cash. The stolen items were valued at approximately UGX 1.45 million. Some of the accused were reportedly dressed in yellow T-shirts featuring President Museveni’s image at the time of the incident.
Court documents further reveal that the attackers used violence during the robbery, leaving the victim with grievous injuries.
Those remanded include Turinawe Emmanuel, Nsereko Jamir, Maikuma Ashirtaf, Tumusiime Ronald, Lugwa Joseph alias Muyindi, Kengozi Jenipher, Mulani Shaban, Monday Joseph, Mugezi Isaac Benjamin alias Sparta (an S.5 student at St. Francis SS, Nansana), Asaba Umarau Lakika, Serunkuma Derrick, Matovu Kenneth alias Cobra, Ogenyi Robert alias Ali Corbikz, Makafu Richard, Bwambale Edgar, and Kadama Abdul.
State Attorney Mucunguzi informed the court that investigations into the case are complete. Magistrate Nankya ordered that the suspects remain in remand at Luzira Prison until July 18, 2025, when the trial is expected to begin.
In a related development, the Law Development Centre Court also remanded another group of 14 NRM-affiliated individuals over similar robbery incidents that occurred the same day. The suspects, whose backgrounds range from students and boda boda riders to mechanics and casual labourers, have reportedly been active in NRM mobilisation campaigns.
While being escorted to court, several of the accused tearfully claimed they were abandoned by NRM leaders after being used for political mobilisation and then left to face the consequences alone when police began making arrests.
