By Mulengera Reporters
Upon reflecting on the overwhelming video, photographic and oral evidence the state prosecutors from UCC have spent months tabling in the Makindye-based Standards & Utilities Court, telecom equipment vandalism suspect Quarish Yasiin Lubowa Segirinya on Tuesday seemed to be cracking when he requested to have a private discussion with the trial Magistrate in order to be guided and advised on the plea-bargaining deal he is considering before commencing on his defence.
The unrepresented accused person is aged 30 years and is a mechanic at Kisekka market. He is a resident of Kibuye in Kampala’s Makindye Division.
The prosecution’s case, which has since been corroborated by several witnesses, is that some day last May, Quarish was caught red-handed while vandalising and trying to steal telecommunications equipment belonging to American Tower Corporation at their Namakonkome tower site near Matuga in Wakiso district’s Nansana Municipality.
Quarish denies the charges though he has occasionally been signalling readiness to plead guilty on condition that he is allowed the option of paying just the fine in order to avoid custodial sentencing. State prosecutors have consistently rejected this proposition given that the accused person is a repeat offender.
During the Tuesday Court session, the 30-year-old Quarish indicated to the trial Magistrate that he is tired of prison life and would like to consider the easier option of taking out a plea-bargaining deal.
He requested Her Worship Kamasanyu, who years earlier convicted and sentenced him over similar offences, as follows: “It’s true I have been trying to agree on something with state [prosecutors] except that those men are such hard-liners. They are not flexible and aren’t accepting my terms. Your Honor I’m requesting to meet and consult you privately in the absence of state [prosecutors]. I will only be ready to commit myself to the plea-bargaining arrangement after I have talked to you privately to be properly advised because I don’t want to act ignorantly, lest I hurt my own interests.”
Kamasanyu declined the request insisting that this ought to only happen in the full presence of the state lawyers from UCC because any plea-bargaining deal will have to involve them because it’s them who preferred criminal charges against Quarish and not the Court. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
