Rwenzururu king Charles Wesley Mumbere is free to apply for bail in the Jinja High Court and not the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala as requested by the state as the monarch’s bail application continues.
Principal state attorney Rachael Bikhole in her preliminary objection had argued that the king faces terrorism among other grave charges only triable by the International Crimes Division of the High Court.
Instead, Jinja High Court judge Eva Luswata in her Thursday ruling accepted Mumbere’s sureties presented; Kasese Woman MP and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Winfred Kiiza, former Rwenzururu prime minister Constantine Bwambale, Bukonzo County West MP Atkins Katusabe, Busongora North MP William Nzoghu, Bukonzo County East MP Muhindo Tonny Aaron and Kasese Municipality MP Centenary Franco Robert.
But Mumbere’s defence lawyers, Evans Ochieng, Samuel Muyizzi and Caleb Alaka that the king is not bound by the rules of International Crimes Division of the High Court and can have his application heard before her court because the case is still at its early stages.
The International Crimes Division of the High Court is a special court that handles offences like human trafficking, crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.
Omusinga Mumbere is facing several grave charges including treason, murder, terrorism, attempted murder, aggravated robbery and malicious damage to property. The king is jointly charged with more than 150 of his royal guards who are currently in detention different prisons in Jinja District. The charges arise from the raid on his palace in Kasese which was bombed out on November 27 by a combined squad of the police and the army. More than 100 people were killed.
READ: Why President Museveni is blocking investigations into Kasese killings
RELATED CONTENT: Another Mumbere royal guard mysteriously dies in in Jinja prison
