The pretrial hearing of the case in which Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere is accused of terrorism on Monday failed to kick off at the International Crimes Division of the High Court after his co-accused failed to raise transport fares.
Mumbere and more than 200 of his subjects are facing charges including murder, terrorism, treason, malicious damage to property , attempted murder, aggravated robbery, among others allegedly committed during 2016 following the raid at the Rwenzururu Kingdom’s palace.
The case was today expected to continue before Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha with the Prosecution led by Joseph Kyomuhendo to inform court on the progress of the investigations. But the lawyer who is representing King Mumbere and his loyalists Alfred Makasi told Court that the matter cannot proceed in the absence of more than 90 suspects mostly from Kasese whom he said had failed to turn up today on grounds that they did not have transport money.
Makasi noted that on Friday he met some of those suspects in Kasese and they told him that it would be impossible for them to return again today to appear in court via zoom due to financial constraints.
The rest of the suspects were appearing in court via different places including Luzira and Jinja prisons for those who are still on remand and those who appeared in International Crimes Division Court Physically.
The rest of the suspects who were supposed to appear in court via zoom in Bundibugyo court have failed to show up due to poor internet connections.
Makasi thus asked Court for an adjournment. The Prosecution had no objection and the case was accordingly adjourned to May 16th 2023.
Asked if Mumbere applied for amnesty as it has been rumoured on social media, Makasi said they are in negotiations with the government to have these charges settled amicably and he doesn’t know if amnesty could be the end result.
The Prime suspect in this case King Mumbere was arrested on November 27th, 2016 together with 203 royal guards before being granted bail in 2017. But the Kingdom lawyers say 10 of these accused persons have since passed on while in prison while others were released leaving now 84 people on remand.
The group ran out of luck when the Uganda People’s Defense Forces led operations in Rwenzori region which resulted into the attack of the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu Palace.
In 2018, the group was committed to the International Crimes Division of High Court in Kololo by Jinja High Court to face charges against them and King Mumbere although granted bail, had his movements restricted within Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono Districts to date.
The Kingdom together with the government have since been in negotiations to reconcile and have the King and his subjects regain their freedom.
