KAMPALA, UGANDA: Isaac Mukwaya, the errant driver who appeared in a video attempting to run over a traffic police officer in Kampala has been remanded to Luzira prison for reckless driving.
Mukwaya, 35, a psychologist by profession Thursday appeared before Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrates Ronald Kayizzi who read to him charges of careless driving and failure to stop when signalled by a the traffic officer in a police uniform.
State prosecution led by Mr Ivan Kyazze told court Mukwaya, on June 12, 2023, at the parking yard of Lyca Mobile company in Kampala drove a black Subaru registration number UAZ 515C without reasonable consideration for other road users.
It is further alleged that Mukwaya failed to stop when signalled by a police officer in uniform in the execution of his duties.
Mukwaya, however, denied the charges and pleaded not guilty and applied for bail on the grounds that he is a family man and has a fixed place of abode, among others.
The magistrate, however, remanded him to prison until June 20 when he will deliver a ruling on his bail application.
“I have listened to the submissions of both lawyers. You have all made lengthy submissions which I will need to go through and deliver my ruling on June 20,” ruled the Magistrate.
Mukwaya’s arrest followed a video of the incident that was shared widely through different social media platforms showing him deliberately attempting to run over the officer who was on duty along one of the busy streets in Kampala.
In an update on Tuesday, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Mr Patrick Onyango said in a statement that Mukwaya who was driving a Subaru car had been stopped for violating traffic lights rules but refused to honor the signals from the officer.
“He, however, sped off when the officer attempted to pluck off the front license plate on his car,” Mr Onyango said, adding that suspect who at the time had a cannula on his arm and was carrying a baby, later reported at CPS Kampala and claimed that his wife and child were sick and hospitalised.
“…However, upon examination, it was determined that he was in normal health and had intentionally inserted the cannula into his hand,” said Onyango.
“We urge the general public, particularly motorists, to adhere to the instructions provided by our traffic officers,” he added.
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