State Prosecutors seek not to produce witnesses in King Mumbere’s case

By Elizabeth Ankunda

26^th July 2022

Prosecution have asked the International Crimes Division of the High Court to allow them file written submissions in the case in which they are seeking to protect 42 witnesses they want to rely on, to try the Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere over charges related to terrorism.

This was revealed by State Attorney Lillian Omara when the matter in which Mumbere is accused together with more than 200 of his subjects  came up for mention before the International Crimes Division -ICD  Judge Alice Komuhangi.

Omara told Court that the last time they last appeared in this matter in Jinja in 2020,  they made an application to protect 42 witnesses and it is an ex parte application which the Defense are not party to for security reasons  and safety of the witness .

She thus asked the Court to allow the State file written submissions in the case adding that they already disclosed other pieces of evidence to Mumbere’s lawyers.

Omara further asked the Court to get for them an Interpreter who speaks Lukhonzo(that language commonly used in Kasese)  to enable the smooth running of the pretrial hearing since it’s the  most understood language by  the accused persons.

As a result, the Judge has directed the Registrar to get the Lukhonzo Interpreter and extend bail for the King up to August 26th 2022.

The Judge has also further remanded those who are still in various prisons across the country until then.

The lawyer representing the accused persons Alfred  Makasi who is also the Attorney General  of Rwenzururu Kingdom didn’t object to the decision.

Makasi has however told court those negotiations with the Government and the Kingdom to have the progress of these negotiations.