Oyam, Uganda: The Chief Magistrate’s Court in Oyam District – Northern Uganda, was forced to adjourn a case involving the District NRM Chairperson, Bosco Onyik Ogwal, and the District Registrar, Jackline Adong, after the two failed to appear in court on Thursday despite being out on bail.
The accused were granted bail of Shs100,000 each on July 22, 2025, before Chief Magistrate Benson Semondo, with instructions to return on August 21. However, neither Ogwal, Adong, nor their sureties showed up in court, forcing the magistrate to adjourn the proceedings.
The duo was arrested last month after parliamentary aspirants Stephen Okello (alias Marisona) and Samuel Engola Junior lodged complaints of electoral malpractice during the July 17 NRM primaries in Oyam North.
According to Patrick Jimmy Okema, spokesperson for North Kyoga Police, the complaint, registered at Oyam CPS, alleged irregularities in the tallying of results from several sub-counties. Trouble began when aspirants accused officials of manipulating figures to favour rival candidate Willy Omodo Omodo, leading to a standoff at the tally centre.
Police investigations, sanctioned under General Enquiry File (GEF) 12/2025, were conducted by a joint team from North Kyoga and Police headquarters, led by ACP Bob Kagarura and D/SSP Daniel Batte. Statements from key witnesses were reviewed before the Resident State Attorney sanctioned the case for prosecution.
The hotly contested Oyam North race attracted six contenders: Samuel Engola Okello, Willy Omodo Omodo, Stephen Okello, Billie Otoo, Daniel Bala, and Wilbert Otala. Results from Oyam South were declared without incident, but tensions escalated in Oyam North, forcing aspirants to block the registrar from announcing a winner.
What the Law says
Under Ugandan law, failure to appear in court can lead to forfeiture of bail, issuance of arrest warrants, and possible cancellation of future bail applications. However, lead defence lawyer Adam Makmot Kibwanga told DailyExpress that the matter was adjourned to September 25, 2025, as the ruling was not ready on Thursday.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
