Mumbere to appear before Jinja rd Court today

The Rwenzururu King, Charles Wesley Mumbere, his Premier Johnson Thembo Kitsumbire and 152 Royal guards are expected to re-appear in Court today in Jinja.

These will appear to answer charges of treason, terrorism, murder, aggravated robbery, malicious damage and attempted murder over the recent Kasese clashes that left more than 100 people dead and scores injured.

The suspects including king Mumbere who spent their Christmas in different prison cells, were mid this month charged with five charges and 41 counts at the Jinja Chief Magistrate's Court.

Under the charge of treason, the king and his Royal guards and others still at large, between the month of March and November this year in different places within Kasese and Kabarole planned to overthrow a lawfully established government by force of arms.

According to charge sheet, the accused expressed such plot by utterances and overt acts such as attack on various police establishments, killing police officers, robbing arms and ammunition, recruitment of individuals to join an armed insurrection against the government.

The King has since been detained at Luzira Maximum prison and his co-accused are in different prison cells including Kirinya, Bugungu and Naguru respectively.

Through his Lawyers Caleb Alaka, Samuel Muyizi, Aarone Kizza and Evans Ochen, on December 14 , the king filed an affidavit before the Jinja High Court in support of a bail application.

In this affidavit, he accused the army and police of summarily executing his subjects during what he said was a ruthless massacre on November 27.

-URN