Amuriat, Soroti city MPs charged, remanded

The Soroti Chief Magistrate’s Court presided over by Hilda Bakanasa Walaga, on Monday, March 10, remanded Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president Patrick Amuriat and two city MPs—Joan Alobo (Woman MP) and Jonathan Ebwalu (Soroti City West)—on charges of burning tyres and throwing stones on the road.

The alleged offences were committed on Friday, March 7, 2025, in the middle of Soroti town during what authorities described as an unlawful assembly.

Amuriat in the dock with MPs Alobo and Ebwalu, as well as their co-accused.

Three others—Sam Acheitum, Sylus Emedu, and Albert Ogalamu—were also charged alongside the politicians. All six denied the charges, prompting the magistrate to remand them to Soroti Prison until March 12.

Police have opened five case files against the accused, charging them with unlawful assembly, public nuisance, and assault.

Some of the offences allegedly committed by the Soroti city MPs date back to last year when they were accused of disrupting traffic during a protest in the middle of the road while wielding machetes.

Separately, Alobo was charged along with 12 other individuals on four counts, including arson, malicious damage, breaking into Jozan Nursery and Primary School, and theft.

These offences allegedly occurred on March 6. The suspects denied the charges and were remanded until March 20. However, Alobo was granted cash bail of sh2 million in this particular case.

Her freedom was short-lived, as a new file was presented in court, charging her alongside Amuriat, Ebwalu, and three others with burning tyres and throwing stones. As a result, Alobo was remanded again until March 12.

MP Soroti city west Jonathan Ebwalu jumping descends from a police truck on arrival at court.

FDC lawyer Moses Okot Bitek expressed frustration over the multiple charges.

“We have been ambushed with close to 20 counts. We came here expecting two. We made a bail application for half of them, court ruled on one and deferred the ruling on another, but has given us a window to apply for bail in two other files on Wednesday,” he told journalists.

Cause of the arrest

The arrests stemmed from a letter written by city MPs Alobo and Ebwalu to Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba, notifying him of their intention to hold prayers in Soroti.

Some of the MPs and FDC officials that were at court.

The prayers were intended to highlight the delayed compensation of the Iteso and to demand the unconditional release of four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye.

However, police occupied Independence Square, the intended venue. In response, Amuriat led demonstrators from the FDC party offices and staged a protest in the middle of Soroti Main Street, disrupting traffic for several minutes.