Jackson Mukasa, left, and Kim Mukisa (AP photo courtesy of The Guardian)
One of two men set to go on trial for homosexual acts in Uganda has been granted bail in the first case since the nation adopted tough anti-gay laws.
After almost five months without trial, Jackson Mukasa, 26, a market vendor, received bail Wednesday [May 7] after fulfilling conditions for his release.
His co-defendant, Hakim Mukisa, 19, a student, is still in jail because he’s not met residency conditions for bail. Mukisa has yet to get his passport stamped by authorities in his suburb of Kampala. The stamp is a court requirement to verify his residence because he does not have an identification card. [Editor’s note: Mukisa later met the requirements for bail and was released by May 12.]
Their trial is set to start on June 12 before a court in the capital, Kampala.
“They are being accused of carnal knowledge against the order of nature. It is the law of sodomy under Section 145 of the penal code,” said their lawyer, Ladislaus Rwakafuzi. …
“We will also ask the magistrates court to dismiss the matter, for there is no complainant. These are grounds we will be putting forward for the accused to be set free,” Rwakafuzi told journalists shortly after securing their long-awaited bail.
See the following articles for background on the case:
