By Mercy Agumenaitwe,
REGIONAL
The Ibanda magistrate court has sent to remand Silverio Byaruhanga, 50yrs, after he was found guilty of failure to control a fire that destroyed a neighbour’s coffee and banana plantation garden.
Court presided over by the Ibanda grade one magistrate Esther Birungi Bigabwa heard that on July 30th, 2022, while at Kobuhura, Nyamarebe sub-county in Ibanda North County, Ibanda district, Byaruhanga started the fire while clearing his land but failed to control it forcing it to spread to the complainant’s garden destroying cassava, banana plantation and 45 coffee trees.
The complainant has been identified as Denis Kamwesiga, a resident of the same area and the suspect’s neighbour.
On Friday, Byarugaba was arraigned before the Ibanda grade one magistrate, but he denied the accusations against him.
He told court that he was surprised when police arrested him as he going to a meeting last Sunday on charges of starting the fire.
The prosecution asked for an adjournment, saying inquiries into the matter are still ongoing.
Byaruhanga asked to be released on court bail but the magistrate denied him bail because he had no sureties.
Court then remanded him to Nyabuhikye government prison until August 31st for mentioning of his case. The magistrate further advised Byaruhanga to get sureties and apply for a bail on that day.
