Rulinda evades court again, slaps new defamation charges against Mugabi

Declared Entebbe Mayor Fabrice Rulinda has yet again slapped social critique Gracious Ahimbisibwe Mugabi with other defamation cases despite him failing to provide evidence in earlier reported charges.

The two, Mugabi and Rulinda, who first worked together in the run up to the 2016 elections turned against one another in the 2021 polls as Mugabi backed Rulinda’s opponent Mike Kabwama Nyamayaalwo in the Mayoral election.

Just after Rulinda was sworn in as Mayor Entebbe, he ordered security agencies within the area to arrest and detain Mugabi on grounds that he has kept defaming him.

Mugabi who spent a week in police cells was later taken to court on defamation related charges.

The complainant, Fabrice Rulinda was invited before court to provide evidence pinning Mugabi, has on three different occassions refused to go to court.

The magistrate, Okwong Stella Peculal ordered that the complainant gets to court and offer evidence or else, the case be dismissed.

However, when court convened again on Wednesday, March 30th, the declared Mayor of Entebbe did not feature, only to slap Mugabi with new charges.

On the charge sheet, Rulinda accuses Mugabi of defaming him. He says, Mugabi allegedly said, he went drunk, driving the a vehicle along the expressway and later involved self in an accident, an accusation the defendant denied.

Mugabi’s bail was later extended and the hearing of the case was also extended to April 4th when prosecution is expected to offer evidence.

The defendant wondered why the complainant has severally refused to appear in court to offer evidence.

Rulinda was in January 2021 declared the Mayor of Entebbe, after a violent election that saw one person shot dead. Several other Entebbe dwellers were left injured.

Former Mayor Vincent Kayanja (DP), also a contestant in the race says Rulinda violently rigged the election and was illegally declared winner.

Kayanja appealed to court to nullify Rulinda’s declaration and instead order he is reinstituted Mayor of Entebbe since he was the rightful winner. Court of appeal is yet to rule on the matter.