Presidential hopeful Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde remanded

Former security minister Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde has been remanded to prison after being charged with treason and unlawful possession of firearms at City Hall Court in Kampala.
Gen Tumukunde who has been hospitalized since Sunday when he collapsed in police custody, arrived at City Hall Court on Wednesday supported by two people as he was walking with difficulty.

His lawyers told court that since March 15 when he fell sick while in detention, Gen Tumukunde has been admitted to Kololo Hospital but is yet to improve which, according to the lawyers, is a sign that they did (not?) have proper facilities to manage his condition while in detention.
He had been in police custody for six days.

In court, Tumukunde who recently declared his intention to contest for presidency in the 2021 elections denied charges of unlawful possession of fire arms and unlawful possession of rounds of ammunition.
Prosecution claims that Tumukunde was found in possession of a pistol, an AK 47 gun, 30 rounds of ammunition for the gun and four rounds for the pistol during his arrest last Thursday evening at his Kololo-based office.
Prosecution also claimed that he did not have a valid license for the guns as required by the law.

Gen Tumukunde was also charged with one count of treason.
However, he was not allowed to take plea because City Hall Court has no jurisdiction to hear treason which is a capital offence, according to the Constitution of Uganda.
Prosecution alleges that while appearing on NBS TV Gen Tumukunde said "If I was Rwanda, I would support those who want to cause change in Uganda."
According to prosecution, the utterances were aimed at instigating Rwanda to attack Uganda to cause unlawful change.
He was remanded until March 30 when he will be returned to court. However, the magistrate said he would have access to his doctors.

Co-accused charged
Meanwhile, 11 people who were arrested from Gen Tumukunde’s office have been charged with obstruction of justice.
They include Tororo Woman MP Annet Nyakecho and Tumukunde’s brother Arthur Kiiza.
They were on Wednesday charged with two counts of obstructing two police officers; Sgt Micheal Akello and D/ASP Richard Mwesigwa on March 12 and 13, 2020, who were reportedly conducting a lawful search of material exhibits in Gen Tumukunde’s office at plot 12 Impala Avenue Kololo.

Prosecution led by Ms Annette Namatovu told Nakawa Magistrate’s Court Court on Wednesday that investigations into the case are still on going.
However, defense lawyers led by Mr Anthony Wameli told court that he had instructions to apply for bail.
The Chief Magistrate Ms Ruth Nabaasa granted them a non cash bail at Shs50, 000 while each of their sureties was bonded Shs2 million not cash.