The offences Bernard Mbayo is accused of contravene Sections 2(a) and 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009 and on conviction,he will be liable to imprisonment.
CRIME
Jinja Municipality councilor Bernard Mbayo has been charged with two counts of corruption and accepting gratification for allegedly soliciting sh500,000 from a one from Edrine Ochieng.
The 45-year-old public officer appeared before Anti-Corruption Grade One Magistrate Moses Nabende, who read out the charges to him.
Mbayo, a councilor of Jinja Central West Parish in Jinja Municipality, denied the charges.
The offences contravene Sections 2(a) and 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009 and on conviction, Mbayo will be liable to imprisonment not exceeding three years.
State Prosecutor Harriet Angom informed court that investigations in the matter were complete and requested court to fix a date for hearing.
“Your honour, inquiries in the matter are complete and we pray that you fix this case for hearing,” she said.
But Mbayo's lawyer Timothy Isiko told court that he had instructions to apply for bail on grounds that charges against his client were bailable and had substantial sureties.
Among the sureties who stood for Mbayo were Alex Subayihe (his brother-in-law), Emmanuel Kagisha and Elvis Byamugisha, his close friends.
“We pray that this honourable court finds the three sureties substantial and bails my client," said Isiko.
"He is a married man with four children at a tender age. He is their sole breadwinner and has no criminal record."
Delivering his ruling, the trial magistrate granted the accused a sh1m cash bail and adjourned the case until January 8, 2020.
“Since the State has not objected to the sureties brought to this court, I find them substantial and the accused is hereby granted a cash bail of sh1m. Each of the three sureties will execute sh2m non-cash,” Nabende ruled.
He added that he had observed the accused’s passport and had found out that he’s a regular traveler, hence it was necessary for court to retain the travel document until the conclusion of the case.
Prosecution alleges that on October 31 this year, at Plot 16, Jinja Municipality in Jinja district, Mbayo solicited sh500, 000 from Edrine Ochieng to commence developments on his land.
It is further asserted that the accused accepted sh500, 000, a gratification, in exchange for authorization of the said Ochieng to commence developments on his land in Jinja Municipal Council.
This article was originally published on New Vision.
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