The High Court’s International Criminal Division has granted bail to 36 former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) members, who were apprehended in Kenya on terrorism charges.
Presiding over the case, Justice Susan Okalany set strict bail conditions for the group, which includes 34 men and two women. Each suspect is required to pay a cash bail of 2 million Ugandan shillings and must deposit their passports and travel documents with the Deputy Registrar of the court.
To enforce these restrictions, the court directed the Deputy Registrar to inform immigration authorities of the imposed travel ban on all suspects. In addition, each of the 72 sureties, who stand as guarantors for the accused, must post a non-cash bond of 50 million shillings.
A noteworthy aspect of the bail conditions is that if the state fails to commit the suspects to trial within six months, they will be automatically released from these obligations, along with their sureties. This caveat underscores the court’s effort to balance stringent bail terms with a fair trial timeline.
The 36 FDC members were detained on allegations of traveling to Kenya for terrorism training. While authorities contend this was an attempt to bolster insurgent capabilities, defense attorneys and FDC representatives argue otherwise, maintaining that the group was in Kenya for leadership and governance training.
The case has stirred heated debates in the Ugandan Parliament, with some legislators questioning the legality of the arrests and voicing concerns over the government’s management of opposition activities.
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