49 Rwenzururu royal guards held in jail for 6 years without trial

Forty-nine jailed guards of the Rwenzururu Kingdom have applied to the International Crimes Division of the High Court to be released on bail pending the trial of their terrorism-related charges.

REPORT: Justice remains elusive for victims of 2016 Kasese attacks

The group that has spent close to six years in prison face charges of terrorism, treason, murder, and attempted murder.

They are jointly charged alongside their King Charles Wesley Mumbere, who is out on bail.
Through their Rwenzururu Kingdom lawyers led by Mr Alfred Makasi, the suspects contend that they have spent a long time on remand. The group was committed to stand trial on June 22, 2017.

Bail

In the bail pleadings, Mr Makasi stated that his clients are presumed innocent and intend not to plead guilty to the charges, which he said are false, fabricated and aimed at embarrassing them and the institution of their kingdom.

“The applicants (royal guards) will not abscond when released on bail since they want to ensure that their innocence is proved through a trial on the face of such grave malicious allegations of capital offences against them,” the August 26 court documents read in part.

READ: 42 witnesses in king Mumbere case want State protection

According to the documents, the royal guards have suffered various ailments while in prison for which they seek to be released to access treatment.

2016 operation
King Mumbere was arrested on November 27, 2016 with close to 200 other loyalists following a security raid on Buhikira Palace in Kasese Town that left more than 100 people dead. He was first held at Nalufenya detention centre in Jinja before he was remanded to Luzira Prison in 

December 2016.  

King Mumbere was later charged with several offences before Jinja magistrate court and on January 13, 2017, he was released on bail by Justice Eva Luswata who restricted his movements within the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, and Jinja.