Another judge to handle Mumbere's bail application

Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere

The second bail application of the Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere has been assigned to Justice Michael Elubu of the Jinja High Court.

Mumbere's lawyers led by Caleb Alaka filed a second bail application praying for his temporary release at the Jinja High Court last Thursday.

The first bail application was heard by Jinja resident Judge, Justice Eva Luswata. It is not clear why Luswata will not handle the second application.

Ronald Wejuri, a High Court clerk confirmed to New Vision that the bail application, number 4/2017 was filed on January 19.

The application is in respect of the seven fresh charges slapped on him under case file 1425/2015.

Among the grounds the lawyers are praying for their client's release include sickness as he suffers from diabetes and old age.

Justice Luswata on January 13 granted Mumbere a non-cash court bail of sh100m with strict conditions. But Mumbere was re-arrested outside court and charged with fresh offences.

 Prosecution had protested the sureties saying they were all applicants' subjects who would not be in position to remind the King to appear in court.

Among the conditions, Mumbere was barred from stepping in Kasese, Bundibugyo and Kabalore districts until court determines his cases.

He was restricted within Kampala, Wakiso and Jinja and would only reside at his Muyenga palace where court ordered government to avail security.

The King was also barred from traveling outside the country except with express permission from court.

Consequently, Luswata instructed the commissioner for immigration to alert officials across all borders not to allow Mumbere to travel outside the country.

After his re-arrest, Mumbere was arraigned before the Jinja chief magistrate John Francis Kaggwa and charged with terrorism, murder, and attempted murder. He allegedly committed the offences at Bukara village, Kabonero sub-county in Kabalore district, between July and November last year.