Uganda Case Law

Nuwagaba Tarasisi v Uganda

Nuwagaba Tarasisi v Uganda (Criminal Application 30 of 2025) [2025] UGHC 519 (15 July 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Application 30 of 2025

Judge

Allan Nshimye, J

The court held that while the applicant had filed an appeal and attached the necessary documents, he failed to demonstrate any exceptional circumstances as required by law for the grant of bail pending appeal. The offence for which the applicant was convicted involved personal violence, and there was no evidence of grave illness, infancy, advanced age, or a certificate of no objection from the Director of Public Prosecutions. The court emphasized that the considerations for bail pending appeal are stricter than those for bail pending trial, and the applicant's submissions were more suited to…

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• Bail Pending Appeal
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Appeal Procedure

Rutaremwa Edward v Uganda

Rutaremwa Edward v Uganda (Miscellaneous Application 33 of 2025) [2025] UGHC 518 (14 July 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Miscellaneous Application 33 of 2025

Judge

Allan Nshimye, J

The court found that the applicant, aged 64, qualifies as a person of advanced age, which constitutes an exceptional circumstance under Ugandan law for bail pending appeal. The applicant was sentenced to one year and six months imprisonment and compensation, and has already served over three months, creating a real risk of completing the sentence before the appeal is heard. The applicant exercised his right of appeal, presented substantial sureties, and did not abscond while on bail during trial. The Supreme Court precedent in Arvind Patel vs Uganda was upheld, allowing a combination of two o…

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• Bail Pending Appeal
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Advanced Age
• Right Of Appeal

Ssempijja Muhammad v Uganda

Ssempijja Muhammad v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 8 of 2023) [2025] UGHC 468 (12 June 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 8 of 2023

Judge

Godfrey Himbaza, J

High Court denied bail to an accused charged with murder, holding that the sureties were not substantial and no exceptional circumstances were proved.

• Bail Pending Trial
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Surety Requirements
• Bail-pending-trial
• Presumption-of-innocence

Wako Robert Salongo v Uganda

Wako Robert Salongo v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 12 of 2025) [2025] UGHC 480 (4 June 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 12 of 2025

Judge

Grace Flavia Lamuno - J

The High Court at Wakiso denied bail to Wako Robert Salongo in an aggravated robbery and conspiracy case, finding a risk of absconding and no exceptional circumstances.

• Bail Application
• Aggravated Robbery
• Conspiracy To Commit Felony
• Judicial Discretion
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Bail-application

Kaita Ashraf v Uganda

Kaita Ashraf v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 7 of 2025) [2025] UGHC 377 (2 June 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 7 of 2025

Judge

Godfrey Himbaza, J

The court denied bail on the grounds that the applicant failed to present substantial sureties with proven financial capacity and ability to ensure attendance. No exceptional circumstances were established as required for capital offences. The gravity of the murder charge and the severity of the potential sentence (death penalty) increased the risk of abscondment. The applicant's recent committal for trial indicated no substantial delay in proceedings. The court exercised its discretion to deny bail, prioritizing public interest and the integrity of the judicial process over the applicant's l…

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• Bail Pending Trial
• Murder Charge
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Surety Requirements
• Presumption Of Innocence

Bariburuhe v Uganda

Bariburuhe v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 2 of 2025) [2025] UGHC 271 (13 May 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 2 of 2025

Judge

Karoli Lwanga Ssemogerere, J

The applicant failed to establish exceptional circumstances as required under Section 16(3) of the Trial on Indictments Act for capital offences of murder and aggravated robbery. The application and supporting affidavit did not provide evidence or computation to substantiate entitlement to mandatory bail under Article 23(6)(c) of the Constitution. The applicant's age (approximately 40 years) does not qualify as infancy or advanced age, and no grave illness or certificate of no objection from the DPP was presented. The court found that the grounds advanced were insufficient for favorable exerc…

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• Bail Application
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Mandatory Vs Discretionary Bail
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Capital Offences
• Court Discretion

Besigye and Another v Uganda

Besigye and Another v Uganda (Miscellaneous Application 113 of 2025) [2025] UGHCCRD 16 (11 April 2025)

Court

HC: Criminal Division (Uganda)

Case number

Miscellaneous Application 113 of 2025

Judge

Rosette Comfort Kania, J

The High Court denied bail to Kizza Besigye and Obed Lutale, holding that the treason charges, ongoing investigations, and risk of interference outweighed their age and sureties.

• Bail Application
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Fixed Place Of Abode
• Substantial Sureties
• Interference With Investigations

Sentambule v Musoke

Sentambule v Musoke (Civil Application 481 of 2024) [2025] UGCA 83 (24 March 2025)

Court

Court of Appeal of Uganda

Case number

Civil Application 481 of 2024

Judge

Buteera, DCJ, Luswata, JA, Kazibwe, JA

The Court of Appeal lacks jurisdiction to admit additional evidence on a second appeal from the High Court acting in its appellate jurisdiction, as expressly prohibited by Rule 32(2) of the Judicature (Court of Appeal Rules) Directions. The applicant's reliance on inherent powers and Supreme Court authorities is misplaced, as those decisions interpreted Supreme Court rules, which do not contain an equivalent prohibition. The omission of locus in quo proceedings, while unfortunate, does not create an exception to the clear statutory bar. The application is therefore incompetent and must be dis…

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• Adducing Additional Evidence
• Second Appeal Jurisdiction
• Locus In Quo Proceedings
• Trespass On Land
• Appellate Review
• Exceptional Circumstances

Opio Obukulem and Another v Uganda

Opio Obukulem and Another v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 80 of 2024) [2025] UGHC 124 (13 March 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 80 of 2024

Judge

Boniface Wamala, J

The High Court at Soroti dismissed a bail application in a murder, robbery and attempted murder case, finding a risk of witness interference and unreliable surety evidence.

• Bail Application
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Surety Suitability
• Interference With Witnesses
• Judicial Discretion
• Exceptional Circumstances

Ojera v Uganda

Ojera v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 59 of 2024) [2025] UGHC 71 (26 February 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 59 of 2024

Judge

Okello, J

The applicant demonstrated a fixed place of abode within the court's jurisdiction and presented four substantial sureties who met the suitability criteria. Although advanced age was not established, the applicant's grave medical condition was substantiated by a medical report from Murchison Bay Hospital, a recognized state prison facility, confirming hypertensive heart disease, stroke, chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and HIV/AIDS. The court found that these health issues constitute an exceptional circumstance that cannot be adequately managed in prison. Allegations of interference wi…

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• Bail Pending Trial
• Aggravated Defilement
• Exceptional Circumstances
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Interference With Witnesses