Lawyers representing the Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere have accused police of torturing his royal guards who are now in detention.
The state on Wednesday charged Mumbere together with 152 royal guards of trying to overthrow government among other charges.
Mumbere had earlier been charged with murder, terrorism, aggravated robbery and attempted murder for offences allegedly committed in March this year that led to death of a number of policemen in Kasese district.
However, on Wednesday, the state prosecutor added a charge of treason to Mumbere together with his royal guards before remanding them to Luzira.
“Mumbere, the 152 and others still at large between the months of March and November 2016 at diverse places in Kasese and Kabarole districts contrived a plot to overturn government of Uganda by use force of arms,”the state prosecutor told court.
King Charles Wesley Mumbere is now being charged with treason
“They expressed such plot by utterances and over acts such as attacks on various police establishments killing police officers. ”
Mumbere and his royal guards are also accused of recruiting and training armed personnel with an intent to overthrow government.
These were added onto other charges of murder and terrorism all, according to the state orchestrated between March and November this year.
Torture
The accused’s lawyers told court that their clients had been subjected to rough treatment by police while in detention, and that many of them have been wounded.
“They were shot at during the arrest whereas most of them are detained in torture chambers by police,”Caleb Alaka, the lead lawyer told court.
” Others have not been brought yet police claim they are in hospital for medication but there is no document to show that.”
The suspects in court today
The lawyers accused government of failure to give proper medical attention to the royal guards while in its custody stressing that many of the suspects have since died.
“Several were arrested and died in the hands of police and they are not here.”
According to Sam Muyizi, government ought to be forced to investigate the claims and make a report on who and the reason behind the torture.
The lawyers also told court that they have information that other suspects are in Bombo military hospital.
The Jinja Chief Magistrate Francis Kaggwa tasked government through the police to investigate the allegations of torture.
“Allegations of torture should be investigated by government on top of giving proper medical treatment to the suspects by the prison authorities and also counselling to them,”the Jinja Chief Magistrate Francis Kaggwa said on Wednesday afternoon.
They were remanded to Bungu (Buikwe district) and Kirinya prisons while the 2 juveniles who are also part of the group have been taken to Naguru remand home until December 28.
The group of 152 suspects including 19 females,4 juveniles and men filled the courtroom to capacity rendering journalists and other members of the public to follow the proceedings from windows.
Mumbere heading back to Luzira
A joint operation by the UPDF and police on November 25 led to storming of Omusinga’s palace in Kasese town leading to death of many royal guards whereas others and Mumbere were also arrested.
Mumbere was airlifted and detained at Nalunfenya police station in Jinja district.
Police have since said that 136 people were killed in the raid but the number had on several occasions been disputed by opposition members of the public especially those from Kasese.