{UAH} My subjects were brutally massacred, says Mumbere

Under watch. King Mumbere escorted by a police officer on arrival at the Jinja Chief Magistrate's Court recently.

By ANTHONY WESAKA

In Summary

• Charges. Omusinga intends to plead not guilty to all the charges, which he strongly believes are false, fabricated and intended to embarrass the institution of his kingdom, which he symbolises.

                        

JINJA.

Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere yesterday accused the army and police of summarily executing his subjects during what he said was a ruthless massacre on November 27.

The accusations of extrajudicial killings are contained in an affidavit the king filed before the Jinja High Court in support of a bail application.

"I was arrested on November 27 from my palace at Buhikira Royal Palace in Kasese District after my aforementioned palace was bombed by a combined force of Uganda People's Defence Forces and Uganda Police Force where several of my subjects, including women and children at the palace, were brutally killed, maimed and others unaccounted for and I was flown to Kampala under the guise of being rescued and later detained at a safe house in Nalufenya in Jinja District," King Mumbere stated.

"My kingdom's regalia, the parliament, traditional huts, coronation house and priceless cultural items in palace, including records were destroyed, burnt, looted during the invasion during which my subjects were blatantly, ruthlessly and callously massacred after stripping them naked and tying their hands behind and executed including women, children and royal palace domestic workers by a combined force of UPDF and the police."

Bail application
The king listed at least 10 grounds in support of application for release on bail pending the hearing of various grave charges that he is facing over the Kasese killings.

The king, who leads millions of subjects in both Uganda and across the border in the DR Congo, filed the bail application through his lawyers of Alaka & Co. Advocates and Ochieng Associates Advocates on Wednesday.

The traditional leader argued his rights to bail, observing that under the Constitution, he is presumed to be innocent.
The Omusinga said he intends to plead not guilty to all the charges, which he strongly believes are false, fabricated and intended to embarrass the institution of his kingdom, which he symbolises.

The other grounds that the king raises in support of the application include; that he has substantial sureties to stand for him; has fixed places of abode at Muyenga Cell, Nyakabingo II in Kasese and in Makindye, Kampala; it's his constitutional right to apply for bail; that he has exceptional circumstances, won't abscond trial and he does not intend to interfere with investigations.

The filing of this application comes after King Mumbere alongside 150 others were paraded before Jinja Chief Magistrates Court and charged with treason on Wednesday. Under this charge of treason, the king and his subjects are accused of arming themselves in a bid to overthrow a lawfully established government of President Museveni.

He also faces charges of terrorism, aggravated robbery, murder, attempted murder, and malicious damage to property.
The king remains on remand at Luzira Maximum Security prison and will be returned to court on December 28 for mention of his case.

Facts

Bail. King Mubere has listed at least 10 grounds in support of application for release on bail pending the hearing of various grave charges that he is facing over the Kasese killings.
Remand. He remains on remand at Luzira and will be returned to court on December 28.

King Mumbere's affidavit

"I, His majesty Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere, do hereby swear on oath and state as hereunder:

That I am the traditional and cultural king of the Rwenzururu Kingdom duly created and recognised by the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995 as amended.
That as a traditional leader of the Rwenzururu Kingdom, I am the king and I am in-charge of the culture, customs, traditions, wishes and aspirations of [millions of] people.
That I was arrested on November 27, 2016 from my Buhikira Royal palace in Kasese District after my aforesaid palace was bombed by a combined force of UPDF and police where several of my subjects, including women and children were brutally killed, maimed and others unaccounted for and I was flown to Kampala under the guise of being rescued, [but] later detained at a safe house in Nalufenya in Jinja District.

That my kingdom's regalia, the parliament, traditional huts, coronation house and priceless cultural items at my palace including records were destroyed, burnt and or looted during the invasion during which several of my subjects were blatantly, ruthlessly and callously massacred after stripping them, tying their hands behind their backs and executed including women, children, royal palace domestic workers by a combined force of the UPDF and police.

That I was later charged at the Chief Magistrate's Court in Jinja District on November 29, 2016 with murder...that on December 13, 2016, I was further charged with treason, terrorism, 17 (additional) counts of murder, aggravated robbery, attempted murder, malicious damage to property.

That I am presumed innocent until proven guilty or until I plead guilty ...that I have exceptional circumstances justifying my release on bail; I'm 64-years-old, have a family with a wife and children to look after, sound and substantial sureties; there is no likelihood of me interfering with investigations...and, as advised by my lawyers Caleb Alaka and Ochieng Evans, court has wide discretionary powers to release me on bail as the offences are bailable.

I shall abide by any and all the bail conditions imposed upon me by court and I shall not abscond court if released on bail."

Compiled by Anthony Wesaka

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*A positive mind is a courageous mind, without doubts and fears, using the experience and wisdom to give the best of him/herself.

 

 We must dare invent the future!
The only way of limiting the usurpation of power by
 individuals, the military or otherwise, is to put the people in charge  - Capt. Thomas. Sankara {RIP} '1949-1987

 *"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent

revolution inevitable"**…  *J.F Kennedy

 

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