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

Ekiring v Uganda

Ekiring v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 144 of 2024) [2025] UGHC 484 (30 June 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 144 of 2024

Judge

Boniface Wamala, J

The High Court at Soroti dismissed Ekiring Yuventino’s bail application in a murder case, finding a risk of witness interference despite fixed abode and sureties.

• Bail Application
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Murder Charge
• Court Discretion
• Sureties
• Interference With Witnesses

Ivan Wavamuno aka Isaac v Uganda

Ivan Wavamuno aka Isaac v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 49 of 2025) [2025] UGHC 504 (27 June 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application No. 49 of 2025

Judge

Joanita Bushara, J

The High Court at Jinja granted bail to a man charged with aggravated robbery, finding a fixed abode, substantial sureties, and no reason to deny release.

• Bail Application
• Aggravated Robbery
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Surety Requirements
• Fixed Place Of Abode
• Bail-application

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

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

Omiat v Uganda

Omiat v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 71 of 2024) [2025] UGHC 225 (14 April 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 71 of 2024

Judge

Boniface Wamala, J

The court held that although the applicant demonstrated a fixed place of abode and presented substantial sureties, the gravity of the offence, the applicant's age, and allegations of prior threats to the deceased and his family created a real possibility of interference with prosecution witnesses. The court emphasized that the applicant failed to satisfy the requirement that he would not interfere with witnesses if released on bail. The absence of opposition from the respondent did not relieve the applicant of the burden to prove entitlement to bail. The interest of justice, therefore, requir…

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• Bail Application
• Murder Charge
• Arson Charge
• Presumption Of Innocence

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

Orago v Uganda

Orago v Uganda (miscellaneous Application . 123 of 2024) [2025] UGHC 170 (8 April 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

miscellaneous Application . 123 of 2024

Judge

Boniface Wamala, J

High Court bail ruling in a rape prosecution. The court accepted fixed abode and substantial sureties, but dismissed bail due to likely witness interference.

• Bail Application
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Surety Requirements
• Remand Periods
• Bail
• Criminal-procedure

Ejiru alias Paul v Uganda

Ejiru alias Paul v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 79 of 2024) [2025] UGHC 123 (13 March 2025)

Court

High Court of Uganda

Case number

Criminal Miscellaneous Application 79 of 2024

Judge

Boniface Wamala, J

The court found that while the applicant demonstrated a fixed place of abode and presented substantial sureties, there was a real possibility of interference with prosecution witnesses, who are likely to be known and related to the applicant given the nature of the offence. The gravity of the charge and the relationship between the applicant and the victim increased the risk of interference. The applicant failed to satisfy the court that he would not interfere with witnesses or abscond if released. In balancing the applicant's rights and the interests of justice, the court exercised its discr…

Source excerpt

• Bail Application
• Murder Charge
• Presumption Of Innocence
• Surety Requirements
• Interference With Witnesses