Ugandan tribal king Mumbere facing fresh charges of terrorism and murder

AFP photo

By

Gloria Nakiyimba

The woes of the Rwenzururu king Charles Wesley Mumbere are far from over, after he was charged afresh on Monday.

The Omusinga appeared before Jinja court Chief magistrate Francis Kaggwa who freshly charged him on seven counts including terrorism and murder.

The Prosecution alleges Mumbere and twenty others committed the offences with an intent to influence or intimidate the Government or a section of the public for either a political, religious, social or economic reason.

They committed the offences between July and November 2016 at various places in Bukara Village and at Nyabutsi village, in the western Ugandan district of Kabalore.

According to the Prosecution the crimes were committed indiscriminately without due regard to the safety of others or property.

It is further alleged that the accused directly or indirectly involved themselves in the murder of police officers, military men and members of the public.

Some of the people allegedly killed by the Omusinga Charles Mumbere in September 2016 are police constables; Simon Peter Apile and Saverio Ochema.

It is alleged also that the accused attempted to murder Deputy Assistant Inspector of Police [AIP] Denis Ahebwa, police constables;  Polycare Ojoko, Fransico Nsimaki and Benon Byaki.

According to the charge sheet Mumbere and others, some still at large, attacked various police posts and unlawfully made explosives and ammunitions.

Mumbere was re arrested last week hours after he was granted bail and was whisked away to Nalufenya government prison.

He will next appear in court on 30 January 2017.

Gloria Nakiyimba

Gloria has experience spanning more than five years in Journalism, particularly in field reporting, editing, newscasting and management. She is currently working with Capital Radio Limited [91.3 Capital FM and 96.3 Beat FM] as Head of News, a position she has held since 2010.

Gloria previously worked as the Kampala Correspondent for Radio France International [RFI] generating local story leads with international inference for RFI’s global audience. She also served as Political Editor for The Weekly Mail Newspaper as well as Online Content Editor for the California based Ugandan broadcaster KubutakaRadio.com.