Environmental activists arrested during a demonstration at Stanbic Bank on August 1, are set to spend nearly 100 days in Luzira Prison after Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Ms Winnie Nankya once more refused to grant them bail.
Their case will return to court on 6 November, at which point the group will have spent 98 days on remand.
The 12 suspects, mostly university students linked to the Students Against EACOP Uganda movement, were initially charged with public nuisance shortly after their arrest.
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Among the accused are: Teopista Nakyambadde, Shammy Nalwadda, Dorothy Asio, Shafik Kalyango, Habibu Nalungu, Noah Kafiiti, Ismail Zziwa, Ivan Wamboga, Akram Katende, Baker Tamale, Keisha Ali, and Mark Makoba.
Ms Nankya declined to entertain the most recent bail application during an appearance on 20 October, arguing that the matter had already progressed far enough that bail was unnecessary.
The suspects had previously been denied bail on 18 August, with the magistrate accusing some of them of taking part in repeated protests and abusing bail conditions.
Earlier, on September 5, the same court session was adjourned after three state witnesses testified that they had observed several of the activists participating in multiple anti-EACOP demonstrations.
The magistrate postponed the discussion of bail to a later date.
Defence lawyer Mr Kato Tumusiime criticised the continued refusal to hear the application, stating that the court’s approach undermined the rights of the accused and created an impression of predetermined guilt.
“Failing to entertain the bail application prejudices the rights of the accused guaranteed by our Constitution, and the same is not only harsh but also illegal and unacceptable. It suggests that the activists have been found guilty before even hearing their case,” he said.
He went on to say, “This is unacceptable in our legal regime. We must fight for our judiciary to be independent and act in line with the law and not to please the people in power. We are beyond that.”
The activists have appeared again on both 1 and October 25, with bail still refused.
The court will determine next month whether the group has a case to answer.
Speaking after the ruling, Mr Tumusiime insisted their legal team would not give up:
“We shall continue to represent our clients lawfully because when we are seeing Court doing is unacceptable denying people Bail for now 98 days in Prison on just a small case is unfair,” he said.
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Over recent years, the activists have held demonstrations at various locations in Kampala, including Parliament, embassies, and commercial banks, urging institutions to withdraw support from the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which they believe poses environmental risks.
Government officials and project backers have dismissed these concerns, insisting that the pipeline will help transform Uganda’s economic outlook once oil production begins.
