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Jailed Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere appeared at Jinja Magistrates Court for mention of his case where he was informed he faces 11 more charges including terrorism, aggravated robbery, murder and attempted murder.
Mumbere was arrested soon after the recent Kasese clashes where up to 100 civilians and police officers were killed.
His lawyer Caleb Alaka on Tuesday argued that the Rwenzururu King’s health was fragile and he deserved specialised treatment even in remand.
He was thereafter remanded to Luzira until December 28th, but not before former FDC Presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye was whisked away by police back to his home in Kasangati. He had been denied entry into the Jinja Court.
“Arrested at Jinja Magistrate’s Court this morning. Now in black police van driving crazily on Kayunga Rd towards Naggalama,” tweeted @kizzabesigye1.
New charges
The State has preferred fresh charges of terrorism, aggravated robbery and attempted murder against the Omusinga Mumbere alongside 12 other people before Jinja Magistrates court.
Prosecution presented the ammended charge sheet containing 11 counts, before Chief Magistrate Francis Kaggwa.
All the charges are in relation to violent incidents that happened in March 2016 in Kasese distrcit where police constable Geoffrey Kasimba lost his life. Prosecution alleged that King Mumbere killed Kasimba on March 24 2016 at F.F.U Dettach in Kidodo cell – Kasese Municipality in Kasese District.
The charges were read to Mumbere in a fully packed courtroom but he was not allowed to answer to them, since they capital in nature and are only triable and bailable by the High court.
Mumbere has now been transferred from Kirinya prison and remanded to Luzira Prison in Kampala with orders that he is allowed to access his special medicine and meals.
Mumbere should also be free to receive visitors, and that people should be allowed to access court.
When Mumbere first appeared in court last month, he was charged with the single murder of a Policeman Kasimba, and remanded as investigations into his case continue.
Queen of Rwenzururu comforts king Wesley Mumbere in the Dock at Jinja magistrates court #MumbereTrial @observerug pic.twitter.com/30STGMtE6x
— nicholas Bamulanzeki (@bamulanzeki) December 13, 2016
Raid on Palace
Mumbere last month first appeared before Chief Magistrate Kaggwa who could not record his plea, saying the offence with which he was charged is only bailable and triable by the High court.
Mumbere was arrested on November 27 at his Buhikira Royal Palace in Kasese town by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces in a joint operation with police, and was airlifted to Nalufenya prison in Jinja following fresh clashes that rocked Rwenzori region.
Mumbere is accused of commanding a militia from his palace with the aim of creating an independent state straddling Uganda and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Police and army officers stormed Mumbere’s palace in the western town of Kasese November 27 in a hail of gunfire and explosions, dragging him out and placing him under arrest after he failed to accept an ultimatum to disband his royal guards, the authorities have said.
According to police, fighting first broke out a day earlier when a joint patrol of police and troops was attacked by the royal guards and quickly spread to surrounding towns.
Kasese district police commander Sam Odong told AFP another 25 bodies had been found in towns outside Kasese, however it was not clear whether they were civilians or royal guards.
Police had earlier reported that 16 police officers and 46 guards were killed, bringing the total death toll to 87 two days after the fighting. Another 139 guards were arrested.
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editor@independent.co.ug
