Gulu Court Grants Bail to Law Intern Gloria Grace Laker Accused of Unauthorized Sharing of Bobi Wine Court Records

Gulu Grade One Magistrate’s Court has released law intern Gloria Grace Laker on Shs500,000 cash bail after charges under the Computer Misuse Act for allegedly sharing unauthorized court information linked to Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine).

In a swift turnaround, the Grade One Magistrate’s Court in Gulu has granted bail to Gloria Grace Laker, a law student interning at the Gulu High Court, following delays caused by the prosecution’s no-show. The ruling came on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, just hours after proceedings stalled due to absent state attorneys led by Resident State Attorney Basir Bandera.

Magistrate Ashraf Muyunga expressed frustration over the absence, noting repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact the prosecution team since 9:00 am. “I have made calls, and no one is picking… When the prosecution team is not there, there is no way a hearing can proceed,” he stated, leading to a nearly two-hour delay before the bail application was heard.

Laker, pursuing a Diploma in Law at the Law Development Centre, was released on a cash bail of Shs500,000. Her three sureties—mother Rose Daisy Lanyero, aunt Grace Acheng, and Patrick Okello Onguti (MP-elect for Aswa County)—were each bonded at Shs2 million non-cash. Strict conditions apply, including a ban on public or online commentary about the case, as emphasized by her lawyer Oscar Kiiza.

She must return to court on April 15, 2026, for the case mention.

Laker was initially remanded last Friday by Magistrate Miriam Amoro after pleading not guilty to charges of unauthorized disclosure of information and violations under the Computer Misuse Act. Prosecutors claim that between March 6 and 9, 2026—during her clerkship at Gulu High Court—she shared details from the court’s criminal register on social media without permission.

The alleged leak reportedly involved a page indicating opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine), president of the National Unity Platform, as an accused in Case No. 140 of 2026 for “making false or malicious statements” under the Penal Code Act. This has drawn attention amid broader debates on judicial transparency and the recent nullification of certain Computer Misuse Act provisions by the Constitutional Court.

Defence counsel Henry Komakech Kilama had earlier criticized the prosecution’s absence as unacceptable, while the court proceeded once the matter could move forward. The case highlights tensions around access to court records and digital sharing in Uganda’s legal system.