Jinja High Court Judge Eva Luswata has set tomorrow Friday January 13, as the date to rule on the Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere’s bail application.
Mumbere was charged with murder, treason, terrorism, aggravated robbery and attempted murder for offences allegedly committed in March this year, which led to the death of a number of policemen in Kasese district.
Mumbere on Thursday, through his team of lawyers led by Caleb Alaka, Evans Ochieng and Samuel Muyizzi told court on Thursday that it was his constitutional right to be released temporarily on bail as he awaits trial.
“He has fixed places of abode in Kasese and Muyenga in Kampala district, the latter being only 45 minutes drive from here,” Alaka told court.
“He has been a resident of that place (Muyenga) for the past 5 years, cooperative and a law bidding citizen.”
The lawyers also said that Mumbere is of advanced age(64 years); before presenting 6 people to stand surety for him.
They presented Parliament’s Leader of Opposition Winnie Kiiza, MPs William Nzoghu (Busongora North) Atkins Katusabe (Bukonzho County West), Robert Centenary (Kasese Municipality), Muhindo Tonny Harold (Bukonzho County East) and Constantine Bwambale, a former Prime Minister for Obusinga bwa Rwenzururu as sureties for Omusinga.
According to Evans Ochieng, the sureties presented are people of high repute in the society and are traceable.
“These(sureties) are people who can’t stake their reputation to appear for a person who will disappear, “Ochieng told the Jinja High court judge.
State Skeptical
The Director of Public Prosecutions represented by Racheal Bikhole and Alex Ojok however, expressed fear of resumption of the violence in the Rwenzori region in case the Omusinga is granted bail by court.
“The situation in the area was tense and volatile due to his actions prompting the DPP to ask the Chief Justice to have the trial transferred here,”Ojok told court.
“It is our contention that he has much influence and in case he is released on bail, he might lead to resumption of violence.”
The state prosecutors also argued that the case against Omusinga is peculiar and highly sensitive, a situation that cannot guarantee one to be released on bail.
“Though he is of advanced age, he can withstand conditions of the prison. He has access to his own food, medical care and fridge for storage of his medicine. ”
On the sureties, the prosecutors argued that these are not substantial because they are all subjects of Omusinga, who according to culture don’t have power to force him to come to court to fulfill his bail conditions.
They asked court to throw out Omusinga’s bail application.
The Jinja High court judge Eva Luswata adjourned the case Friday to give her ruling on the bail application.