Five NUP officials Arrested in Arua

The arrested NUP supporters at Arua Court

Arua – Five National Unity Platform (NUP) officials in Arua have been arrested.

The officials who were arrested by police on Thursday morning while addressing a press conference at their office in Arua town were later produced before the Arua Grade One Magistrate, Her Worship Susan Adong.

They include; Sadad Salim, the NUP Parliamentary flag bearer for Arua Central Division, Voctor Jadribo, the Terego East NUP flag bearer and Ali Salim Muhammad, the NUP Informal Sector Coordinator for West Nile region.

Others are Abdul Rashid and Bashir Ssekamate, all residents of Arua Central Division.

The suspects were charged with an act which is likely to cause the spread of Covid-19.

However, when produced before court, Adong granted Sadad also a lawyer by profession court bail but couldn’t release the rest for failing to adduce substantial suarities.

By press time at about 6:30pm, the remaining four NUP officials were returned to court cells awaiting to be transported to Gbukutu government prison in Koboko district. The matter is being fixed for hearing on December 17, 2020.

But Siraj Bakole, a relative to one of the suspects denied bail faulted court security for frustrating their effort.

“We came with all the necessary documents for the release of our brothers but the police officer at the court gate denied us entry claiming that time is over yet our people were still in court,” Bakole said.

“I’m not happy for what has happened today because we came fully with our introduction letters from LCs and photocopies of our national identify cards only to be blocked at the gate. This was just unfair for us,” Bakole added.

Earlier in the day, a group of Robert Kyagulanyi supporters stormed Adumi road and burned car tyres as they chanted in solidarity with their party President.

Police later swung in action and dispersed them thus restoring calm in Arua town.