Mumbere  asks State to withdraw case against him

TAUSI NAKATO

JINJA-  Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere has asked the State to withdraw cases against him and his royal guards.

The Omusinga’s request was made by  the kingdom attorney general, Mr Alfred Makasi, during a pre-trial session presided over by Justice Eva Luswata of the International Crimes Division of the High Court  at Kirinya Main Prison in Jinja on Thursday.

 “The government has pardoned many people, I don’t see why they don’t pardon us; and four years in prison is enough punishment,’’ Mr Makasi  said.

King Mumbere and his co-accused are facing charges of treason, terrorism, murder, aggravated robbery and being in possession of illegal firearms.

The former acting kingdom prime minister,  Mr Johnson Thembo Kitsumbire, who is also among the accused, asked court to relax the bail conditions given to him, the king and the six juveniles.

“I would like to thank court for recently bailing out 132 suspects, but I would also ask the same Court to relax the bail terms that were given to me, the king and the juveniles. We were confined to only Kampala and Wakiso and this has infringed on our freedom of movement,’’ he said.

Mr Kitsumbire further asked court to allow them to go back to Rwezururu Kingdom, but keep reporting to Kampala.

Justice Luswata adjourned the case to March 30 to give the State time to produce a nolle prosequi (sheet which will include only the names of the suspects whom the prosecution have evidence against).

“The State can withdraw the charges against some of the 207 suspects whom they don’t have evidence against because it is professional,’’ she said.

Justice Luswata also ordered prosecution to amend the charge sheet to remove the five dead suspects, include those missing who are in other courts and omit those it thinks are innocent.  
She also ordered the prison department to produce certificates of the deceased within two weeks, and evidence of eight suspects who are lunatic after defence lawyer Mr Daniel Mudhumbusi submitted the issue.

According to Justice Luswata, on March 30, only the lawyers, registrars and the Judge will appear to set the date for pre-trials, effectively barring the accused from attending. 
The State has been represented by Ms Roy Kalungi, Ms Lilian Omara and Mr Joseph Kyomuhendo.