Charles Wesley Mumbere, the Rwenzururu king has been re-arrested just hours after he was granted bail by Jinja High court.
High court judge Eva Luswata had early in the afternoon endorsed a bail application filed by Mumbere’s lawyers and granted him a non-cash bail of Shs 100 million.
However, after signing all the necessary bail papers, Mumbere’s convoy was blocked from driving out of court. Police patrol vehicles started parking outside court while different security units including among others the Field Force Unit and Anti-terrorism police were also seen taking over the court premises.
Efforts by Mumbere’s brother Christopher Kibazanga to negotiate for the withdrawal of security personnel were futile. The regional police commander (RPC) Godfrey Maate argued that they had not received any orders to free the king.
After two hours, Mumbere and his convoy drove out of the court premises. However, they were intercepted at Bell Avenue, the route that leads to court. Deputy RPC, Onesmus Mwesigwa asked Mumbere out of his vehicle and he was ushered into a police van, and whisked to an unknown destination.
Mumbere and about 150 of his royal guards are facing charges of terrorism, murder, aggravated robbery and attempted murder. He was arrested last November after the UPDF-led onslaught on his palace in Kasese. The attack led to the death of more than 100 people.Â