No special treatment for Mumbere, says Prisons

Dec 16, 2016

Prisons spokesperson, Frank Baine, said mumbere is not a special prisoner to be granted special privileges.

 

Uganda Prisons Service will not offer the Omusinga (king) of Rwenzururu, Charles Wesley Mumbere special treatment.

The king's  lawyers requested Jinja Chief Magistrates Court to order the prison authorities to allow the 64-year-old access a fridge, special meals and a safe place to keep his medicine.

Prisons spokesperson, Frank Baine, said mumbere is not a special prisoner to be granted special privileges.

Mumbere and his 152 guards were remanded over charges of terrorism, treason, murder and attempted murder all connected to the recent Kasese clashes.

About 100 people, including 16 police officers, were killed in the attacks in Kasese on last month following fresh clashes between security forces and suspected Rwenzururu kingdom loyalists.

This was after a group of alleged royal guards of Omusinga hurled an improvised grenade at Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) and Police officers.

The UPDF and Police were patrolling Kasese town when the improvised grenade was reportedly hurled at them. The joint security forces responded with gunfire which sparked off retaliation attacks by suspected kingdom loyalists on Police Posts across the district.

Fleeing from gunfire, some of the suspected loyalists sought refuge in the palace of Omusinga Charles Mumbere.

The UPDF ordered the Mumbere to direct the kingdom loyalists to get out of the palace or let the government forces in, but the orders were reportedly ignored.

The joint forces forcefully gained entry into the palace, opening fire on the suspected loyalists inside the facility.

 

 

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