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The Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions ODPP has on Tuesday dropped all charges against the Musinga of the Rwenzururu, Charles Wesley Mumbere, and 217 others.
The International Crimes Division of the High Court has on the orders of the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrawn all charges against embattled Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere and 218 of his subjects.
The DPP Jane Francis Abodo indicated that the State has lost interest in the matter and wrote to court to have all the accused released.
All 41 charges including terrorism, murder ,treason, malicious damage to property, attempted murder, and aggravated robbery among were dropped in court on Tuesday, during the hearing of the matter.
The charges stem from incidents in 2016. More than 200 people were arrested including including royal guards and kingdom officials, following the security forces’ deadly raid on the king’s palace.
According to the Director of Public Prosecutions DPP, HW. Jane Frances Abodo, Mumbere has been facing charges of murder, treason and aggravated robbery.
The charges stem from Mumbere’s arrest following a raid by the army on his palace on November 27th, 2016. The king was picked up together with 203 others including royal guards and kingdom officials. They were later arraigned at the Jinja Chief Magistrates Court on 41 charges related to terrorism, aggravated robbery and murder among others and were remanded to different prisons including Nalufenya.
But Mumbere was later in January 2017, granted bail by the then High Court International Crimes Division Judge Eva Luswata and his movements restricted within Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts and he is also required him to report to court once every month.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo has withdrawn all charges against Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere and his subjects.
The charges which have been withdrawn before the International Crimes Division (ICD) Court presided over by Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha include murder, terrorism, treason, malicious damage to property, attempted murder, and aggravated robbery, among others.
Today when the case came up for mention, Principal State Attorney Lillian Omara informed the Court that the DPP had lost interest in the case and was withdrawing charges against the accused persons.
Omara tendered before the Court the letter withdrawing charges, signed by Ms Abodo confirming the withdrawal of the charges against Mumbere and 218 others.
All charges have been withdrawn against all the suspects except, Masereka Kamada and Thembo Kitsumbire the former Rwenzururu Prime Minister whom the prosecution says will go ahead to prosecute since he refused to apply for amnesty, unlike the bigger group.
The withdrawal of charges follows the amnesty that was granted to the group by the Amnesty Commission after the suspects admitted to having participated in the crimes and also denounced rebellious activities and reconciled with the government.
In April, King Mumbere appointed a new 11-member committee chaired by Dr. Nathaniel Mumbere Walemba and Deputized by Constantine Bwambale to spearhead the kingdom’s peace talks with the government.