Witnesses fail to show up at Reign trial

Reign faces charges of attempting to commit hate speech.

The comedian was arrested by security officers at his home in Mutundwe, Rubaga South Division, and detained before being released on bail.

Reign was suspected of mobilising dissidents to participate in the #March2Parliament protests.

Fed up with the rampant corruption and anaemic economic growth in the country, groups of Ugandans took to the streets under the hashtag #March2Parliament.

Reign Omusoyosoyi pulse uganda

There were protests on July 23 and again on July 25.

Reign was arraigned in the Mwanga II Magistrate's Court, presided over by Principal Magistrate Adams Byarugaba, who read the charge to him on July 25th of this year.

The comedian, who is also a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), denied the charge of attempting to commit hate speech, which is contrary to the Computer Misuse Act.

Byarugaba granted him a cash bail of Shs1 million, while his sureties received a non-cash bond of Shs10 million.

On his return to court, his accusers were a no-show and the judge ruled that he should return in December.

The judge added that if his accusers are still conspicuous by their absence on that date, the case will be dismissed.

Reign’s lawyer Erias Luyimbazi Nalukoola, the long-serving Legal Advisor for the Democratic Party who resigned from his position in the Norbert Mao-led party this year, vowed to bring the truant witnesses to book.

This would be done when the court reconvenes, he said, adding that it was something of culpable negligence (on the part of the witnesses) to file charges against someone and fail to stand witness against them.

Reign thanked his counsel, positive they will prevail come the 18th of December.

Reign Omusoyisoyi pulse uganda

Uganda versus comedy

This is not the first case in which a comedian’s supposed political inclinations have led to court proceedings.

In 2020, on Friday, July 24th, Ugandan police arrested four comedians for a satirical video they posted online. The comedians, Julius Sserwanja, Simon Peter Ssabakaki, Merceli Mbabali, and Gold Kimatono, are part of a group called Bizonto.

They were accused of “promoting sectarianism” after a video they posted implied that the Uganda government is populated, well nigh exclusively, by leaders from the west of Uganda.