Anthony Wesaka
3 November 2009
Kampala — Buganda Road Court yesterday sentenced a man to a year in imprison or a fine of Shs300,000 for refusing to give way to President Museveni's convoy. Mr David Lyagoba, an official with an airline company, Air Uganda, was convicted on his own plea of guilt after he admitted that he had interfered with the President's convoy on Entebbe Road last Thursday.
Delivering her ruling, Grade One Magistrate, Dorothy Ssempala Lwanga, said: "He has not wasted court's time by pleading guilty to the charges and he therefore is sentenced to a fine of 15 currency points which is equivalent to Shs300,000 or be imprisoned for a period of 12 months in default to pay the fine."
Mr Lyagoba opted to pay the fine and was released after spending a night at Luzira maximum security prison. According to prosecution, on October 27, at around 5:30pm while driving an official car of Air Uganda on Entebbe Road, Mr Lyagoba failed to give way to the presidential convoy.
Prosecution further says that despite the lead vehicle sounding an audible siren accompanied by a flashing beacon with visible lights which could be seen at a long distance, the Mr Lyagoba stubbornly refused to give way and continued moving with the convoy at a high speed as if he was part of it.
He was intercepted by the traffic officers who arrested him and took him to Central Police Station in Kampala, where he was first detained. His motive of refusing to give way to Museveni's convoy was best known to him, the prosecutor said.
Past cases
Recently a city businessman, Mr Frank Gashumba, was charged at Makindye magistrate's court for failing to give way to the presidential convoy at Kajjansi on Entebbe road. He denied the charges and he was released on court bond of Shs500,000, his two sureties paid Shs1 million each.
About two months ago, Buganda Road Court remanded Mr Ntare Kabashaga, a security guard with Snow White security firm over attempting to stop President Museveni's convey in Kampala on the day the riots broke out in the city on September 10th. He denied the charges and the case is still in court.
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