[2008] UGHC 90
The court found that while it has discretion to grant bail, the applicant failed to present any facts beyond the ordinary considerations for bail as required under section 15(1) of the Trial on Indictments Act. The court was not satisfied that this was a proper case to exercise its discretion in favor of granting...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2008] UGHC 90
- Parties
- Applicant: Komakech Vincent; Respondent: Uganda
- Court
- High Court of Uganda
- Jurisdiction
- Uganda
- Case Number
- M.A 48 of 2008
- Procedural Posture
- Miscellaneous Application / Bail Application Ruling
- Outcome
- application_dismissed
- Legal Topics
- Bail Pending Trial, Aggravated Defilement, Judicial Discretion, Exceptional Circumstances
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Komakech Vincent
Applicant
Uganda
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Miscellaneous Application / Bail Application Ruling
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the applicant should be granted bail pending trial for aggravated defilement.
- 2 Whether the applicant has demonstrated exceptional circumstances as required under section 15(1) of the Trial on Indictments Act.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that while it has discretion to grant bail, the applicant failed to present any facts beyond the ordinary considerations for bail as required under section 15(1) of the Trial on Indictments Act. The court was not satisfied that this was a proper case to exercise its discretion in favor of granting bail, especially given the seriousness of the offence, the age of the victim, and the evidence suggesting attempts to influence the victim. The application was therefore dismissed.
Court Disposition
application_dismissed
Orders
- The application for bail is dismissed.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
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Case No. AA. 112/2008) \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid8401950 {\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \par }{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 KOMAKECH VINCENT >>}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid13247830\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 >>>>>>}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 >>>>>>>>>>>>APPLICANT \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid8401950 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 <<<<VERSUS>>>> \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid8401950 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 UGANDA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>}{ \b\dbch\af12\insrsid13247830\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 >>>}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 >>>>>>>RESPOND}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid13247830\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 EN}{ \b\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 T \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid8401950 {\b\ul\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 BEFORE HONOURA\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 BLE JUSTICE REMMY K. KASULE \par \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 RULING \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid8401950 {\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The applicant applies to}{\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 }{\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 be released on bail pending his trial for the offence of aggra}{\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 va}{ \dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ted defilement c/s. 129 (3) and 4(a) of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 2007. He is being charged under Criminal case Number AA. 1\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 12 of 2008. }{ \dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 He}{\dbch\af12\insrsid3108852\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 has already been committed to the High Court for trial. The offence is alleged to have been committed on 15.05.08. \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The application is brought under Article 23(b) (a) of the Constitution and section 14(}{\dbch\af12\insrsid4073327\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 1}{\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ) of the Trial On Indictment Act, Ca\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 p.23 \par \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Court is satisfied that the applicant has established }{\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 residence and}{\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 the sureties he has produced to court are substantial. \par \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 It is also within the overall discretionary powers of this court, }{\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 exercised}{\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 judicially, to grant bail}{\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 }{\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 to the applicant, even i\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 n absence of proof of exceptional circumstances as is required of the applicant by section 15(1) of the Trial On Indictment Act, Cap. 23. See }{\b\ul\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Constitutional}{ \b\ul\dbch\af12\insrsid14694162\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Court constitutional Reference No. 20 of 2005: Ugandan (DPP) vs Col. (Rtd) Kiiza Besigye. \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid8401950\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 a}{\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 nd als\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 o \par }{\b\ul\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Constitutional Court Petition No. 20 of 2006 Foundation for Human Rights Initiatives vs Attorney General. \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 This court has recently held in}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 }{\b\ul\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 High Court at Gulu Miscellaneous Application No. 37 of 2008 Bongomin Richard Akal vs Uganda}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 that:- \par \par }{\b\i\dbch\af12\insrsid8401950\charrsid6440944 \loch\af0\dbch\af12\hich\f0 \'93\loch\f0 The}{\b\i\dbch\af12\insrsid10368825\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 burden is u\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 pon the applicant to satisfy court by putting forth before court a set of facts, beyond the ordinary considerations,}{\b\i\dbch\af12\insrsid4073327\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 upon }{\b\i\dbch\af12\insrsid10368825\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 \hich\f0 which the court can act, in the exercise of its discretion, to admit the applicant to bail\'94\loch\f0 }{\b\i\dbch\af12\insrsid7406163\charrsid6440944 \par }{\b\i\dbch\af12\insrsid10368825\charrsid6440944 \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid10368825\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The applicant, in the considered view of\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 }{\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 this}{ \dbch\af12\insrsid10368825\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 court, has not put forward such a set of facts }{\dbch\af12\insrsid4073327\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 f}{\dbch\af12\insrsid10368825\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 or this court to exercise its discretion and grant him bail. All the facts he has put forward are the ordinary considerations for bail, not }{\dbch\af12\insrsid8478373\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 envisaged}{ \dbch\af12\insrsid10368825\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 under section 15(1) of the Trial On Indictment Act. \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid8478373\charrsid6440944 \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Court also notes that the alleged victim, is a minor below the age of 14 years, and her mother, Akullu Christine, has filed an affidavit in opposition to granting the applicant bail, asserting that }{ \dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 an attempt was made to take the alleged victim to the ap\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 plicant\hich\f0 \rquote \loch\f0 s father\hich\f0 \rquote \loch\f0 s home with a view to having the victim exonerate the applicant of the alleged offence. A letter dated May 27}{\super\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 th}{\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 , 2008, signed by applicant\hich\f0 \rquote \loch\f0 s father produced to court by counsel for the applicant, seems to support the assertion of Ms. Akul\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 lu Christine, mother of the victim.}{ \dbch\af12\insrsid8478373\charrsid6440944 \par }{\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Court is therefore not satisfied that that this is a proper case where it should exercise its discretion to grant bail to the applicant. \par \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 The application for bail fails. The same stand}{\dbch\af12\insrsid4073327\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 s}{\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 dismissed. \par \par \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid1464954 {\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Remmy K. Kasule \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 Jud\hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 ge \par \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 14}{\b\super\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 th}{\b\dbch\af12\insrsid4983126\charrsid6440944 \hich\af0\dbch\af12\loch\f0 July 2008 \par }}