Court Dismisses Agasiirwe’s Bail Application

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Isaac Muwata dismissed the application, citing the seriousness of the offence, the risk of interference with witnesses, and multiple ongoing criminal investigations involving  Agasiirwe. 

Agasiirwe had applied for bail under Article 23(6)(a) of the Constitution and the Judicature (Bail Guidelines for Courts of Judicature) Practice Directions, 2022. He argued that he had spent more than 180 days on remand without trial, maintained his innocence, and presented himself as a law-abiding citizen with a fixed place of residence in Kira Municipality.

The 54-year-old also told court that his continued detention  was creating a risk to his health. 

He  had presented three sureties  Alozious Muhangi, David Kureeba, and Leeman Mugume —and pledged to comply with any conditions set by court. He  had also pleaded with Court to release him saying that he bad previousy complied with bail conditions during proceedings before the General Court Martial when he was accused of kidnapping Rwandan Refugees. 

However, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions  opposed the application, arguing that Agasiirwe is a flight risk due to the capital nature of the offence, which carries a possible death penalty upon conviction.

Prosecution through Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka further challenged the credibility of the sureties, saying they lacked sufficient financial capacity and verifiable permanent residences , and noted that their close relationship with Agasiirwe  weakened their ability to guarantee his appearance in court.

The State also warned that, given his senior rank in the police force, Agasiirwe  was most likely to interfere with  Prosecution witnesses, many of whom are junior officers, and that he could also disrupt  the ongoing investigations into a series of charges against him which haven’t yet been filed before the Courts. 

In his ruling, Judge Muwata indicated that while courts have discretion to grant bail, this must be balanced against the interests of justice.

On the issue of mandatory bail, the judge has ruled that the Agasiirwe could no longer rely on the 180-day provision since the State had already filed an indictment and summary of evidence in December 2025 and therefore committed him for trial. 

Muwata said there are several ongoing investigations involving Agasiirwe  including three counts of murder, aggravated robbery, kidnap with intent to murder and illicit enrichment. These offenses were reportedly committed in 2004,  2010 and  2016, while illicit enrichment was filed against him in 2025.


The judge added that releasing the Agasiirwe while such investigations are ongoing would jeopardize their conclusion and could lead to interference.

He also noted that Agasiirwe has not proved exceptional circumstances that justify his release on bail.