Former Rwenzururu premier petitions Mao over delayed trial

The former prime minister of the Rwenzururu Kingdom has petitioned the Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, Mr Norbert Mao, asking him to intervene in his trial.

Mr Thembo Kitsumbire was arrested after the army raided the Buhikira Royal Palace in Kasese in November 2016.

He now wants his file to be transferred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague instead of lying idle at Uganda’s International Crimes Division of the High Court.

 “Hon minister, it’s now seven years with the International Crimes Division confining me in Kampala on bail by the High Court on allegations that I have committed an offence of terrorism, murder, aggravated robbery, malicious damage to property, attempted murder and treason for purposes of creating Yiira State (Republic),” the July 5 petition reads in part.

It added: “I appreciate government of Uganda for having handed me over to Justice and Constitutional Affairs ministry which has failed and continued making me suffer on bail for seven years.

“I hereby, humbly request that my file be transferred from International Crimes Division to the International Criminal Court (ICC) or set me free as an innocent person without conditions.”

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Mao were futile as our repeated phone calls to his known number never went unanswered.

The petition follows the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision to withdraw charges against Rwenzururu king Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere and 217 kingdom subjects.

 “Take notice that the government of Uganda intends that the proceedings against …see the attached (King Mumbere and 217 of his royal guards) shall not continue,” read in part the June 13 withdraw notice tendered in court by the DPP’s representative.

However, the charges against the former kingdom’s prime minister and another suspect were not dropped as he never applied for amnesty. 

“The two (Mr Kitsumbire and another) accused persons left in the indictment did not apply for amnesty. We shall proceed with their prosecution,” Ms Jacquelyn Okui, the spokesperson of the office of the DPP, said on June 13.