By Mulengera Reporters
Mr. Joseph Anguria, who introduced himself to Court as Chris Obore’s defense lawyer, was on Thursday forced to clarify to the trial Magistrate that he isn’t the type who can ‘go forum shopping for work’ in order to be able to make ends meet.
Anguria made this clarification about himself after Her Worship Adong Molly Alice lost her cool, raised her voice and told off the 42-year John Baptist Nakibinge alias Seeka, an accused person, who changes lawyers at every court appearance.
Nakibinge has been on trial at the Makindye-based Standards & Utilities Court since April when he was first arraigned after being arrested in connection with alleged telecom equipment vandalism acts which in Kikuube district in Bunyoro sub region.
The impugned offence was allegedly committed on 16th December 2025 by a group of suspects including Nakibinge who appears on the file (KBE/CRB043/2026) as accused person no. 4.
Prosecution alleges that on the night of 16th December, a group comprising of Joseph Taremwa, Reagan Ssenkoni, Gilbert Kansiime, Nakibinge and others still at large committed the offence targeting the telecom mast belonging to American Tower Corporation (ATC) located in Kimbugu LC1/village Kimbugu parish in Kikuube district. They allegedly cut and stole solar cables and earthing cables worth millions of shillings.
Nakibinge has been on remand since April, something the Magistrate addressed during the Thursday court session in the presence of state prosecutors Kevin Bakulumpagi and Nasim Kagawa from UCC and the accused person’s relatives.
Saying this is the oldest case she currently has in her court, a visibly frustrated Her Worship Adong demanded to know why the accused person Nakibinge was delaying his own case by coming up with new lawyers at every hearing. She said this is one case she ordinarily would have completed in just a matter of days because prosecution team of the UCC lawyers has been ready from day one.
She also spoke about the trial becoming expensive and a miscarriage of justice for the complainant (ATC) which has had to incur witness transportation-related expenses since April.
She told Nakibinge that he was inflicting pain on himself because each time a new lawyer turns up they demand for fresh disclosure from the prosecution while seeking endless adjournments because they are never prepared to proceed. She warned against such defendants who end up complaining about endless trial yet they are the cause of their own detriment.
She demanded to know what Nakibinge’s crisis was. The accused person said that he too was confused and appalled at the rate at which his defense lawyers keep changing.
He blamed it on a lawyer called Swaibu who he said he is the man his next of kin (many of whom were present) instructed from the start. “It’s him who keeps failing to show up and delegating a new lawyer every now and then,” Nakibinge explained, prompting the Magistrate to demand to know from the relatives why this was being the case.
An uncle stepped forward and the Magistrate advised that they proclaim a written notice signaling withdrawal of instructions from all the different lawyers who have been appearing for the defense and clear written instructions be submitted to court indicating that Joseph Anguria is now the accused person’s duly instructed attorney.
After making it clear that Anguria was now their sole lawyer, the Magistrate proceeded to deliver her ruling disallowing the bail application Nakibinge had put in earlier on.
It was disallowed on grounds that the accused person had multiple places of abode besides facing several other criminal police criminal investigations which are at different stages and in different parts of the country.
Even his sureties were found wanting as it wasn’t demonstrated to court that they had reasonable means to compel the accused person’s attendance of court whenever required to do so. The Magistrate also agreed with UCC lawyers that the accused person would interfere with witnesses and expose them to risk once released on bail.
Anguria, after making it clear that he was going to take his duties seriously as a defense lawyer, promised to reorganize the defense side with a new plan and notified the Magistrate they will be appealing her decision and working towards applying for bail afresh.
The accused person was remanded back to Luzira and the matter adjourned to Wednesday 29th July after Anguria objected to Monday 27th July since on that day he will be submitting in his other client Chris Obore’s case at the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court at 2pm. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
