Man sent to prison for 7 years for punching magistrate

Fred Kyogonza has earned himself a seven year jail term for punching the Masindi Chief Magistrate, Catherine Agwero during court proceedings.

The Masindi Grade One Magistrate, Dan Mwesiga found Kyogonza guilty of assault and contempt of court and sentenced him to seven years in jail on Thursday afternoon.

In his judgment, Mwesiga said Kyogonza would serve five years for assault and two years for contempt of court. He explained that the convict had failed to show remorse for attacking the chief magistrate.

Earlier on Kyogonza, had asked court for a lenient sentence, saying he was a first time offender and that he was provoked by the chief magistrate on the fateful and other days when she frustrated his efforts to file his defense.

However, Mwesiga rejected the plea, saying Kyogonza should have sought redress from a higher court instead of taking matters in his own hands.

Details of the case are that on December 13, 2017, while at Masindi court, Kyogonza punched the Masindi Chief Magistrate, Catherine Agwero after she committed him to civil prison for six months when he failed to clear a debt of Shillings 4.8 million.

While presenting its case, prosecution claimed that Kyogonza jumped from the dock and punched the magistrate several times on the head leaving her unconscious. Prosecution told court that the magistrate was rescued by court clerks, prison warders, police officers and some of the people who were present in the court.

Prosecution presented a medical report from Kitara Medical Center showing the magistrate was found to be weak with severe headache and back ache. It also showed that Kyogonza caused bodily harm to the Chief magistrate. Prosecution presented four witnesses to pin the accused.