Africa-Press – Uganda. Aruu County MP Odonga Otto has been remanded to Gulu Prison after he pleaded not guilty to assault and malicious damage charges. The outspoken MP was on Friday charged with two counts of malicious damage to property and assault when he appeared before Grade One Magistrate in Pader District.
The Grade one Magistrate, Mr Edward Akankwasa, denied the MP bail and remanded him until April 6, 2021. The MP, through his lawyer, Ms Juliet Oyullu of Odonga Otto and company advocates had asked to be released on bail but he was not granted after the state prosecutor, Mr Tomson Epia told court that investigations into the charges against him were complete.
The magistrate remanded him saying hearing of his case will start on April 6 when he returns to court.The magistrate also directed the MP to first be quarantined and subjected to Covid-19 test at Gulu Regional Referral hospital before being taken to prison. According to the charge sheet, the MP on May 6, 2018 at Ogan Kanakok, Pajule Sub-County in Pader district, assaulted Mr Henry Mugisha, a driver of a Fuso truck vehicle UAR 234 C before destroying its windscreen. He also reportedly caused grievous bodily harm to Mr Mugisha during the assault.
But the legislator denied all the charges.Mr Odonga is one of the 12 lawmakers in Acholi Sub-region who lost in the just concluded elections.Ms Oyullu who is also his wife said she was disappointment with court’s decision to deny her client bail which is his right.
“We came to court well prepared with all the sureties to apply for bail for my client but the court has decided to remand him to prison up to April 6, 2021,” Ms Oyullu said.Before the court proceedings, Mr Otto, while entering the court chambers shouted that he will be sworn in as Aruu County come May 2021.Meanwhile there was heavy security deployment around the court chamber and police station before the legislator was taken to court.
Police blocked his supporters who had turned up to witness the court proceedings from accessing court premises. Only the relatives of the legislator and some of his campaign agents were allowed to attend the court session. Mr Odonga was arrested on Tuesday this week at Bomah hotel in Gulu City by Police Criminal Investigation department.Other charges are Illegal possession of a gun and assaulting a journalist while at Pece Stadium in Gulu city in 2019.
