The Independent Presidential Candidate Rtd Lt Gen. Henry Tumukunde has been summoned by City Hall Magistrate Court to appear before it on 21st/December/2020 and stand trial on charges of Unlawful Possession of Firearms.
This follows Lt Gen Tumukunde’s failure to attend Court today as earlier ordered.
According to Tumukunde’s lawyer Wameli Anthony, his client failed to return from Kagadi District last night where he has been on his presidential campaign trail.
Wamali told Court that efforts to get in touch with Tumukunde’s surety and wife also failed.
Prosecution led by Lillian Omara says Tumukunde’s involvement in Presidential Campaigns does not bar trial against him.
Omara, who had turned up in Court with three witnesses including Police Officers attached to CID, asked Court to issue criminal summons against Tumukunde to ensure that he appear in court at the next sitting.
Meanwhile another set of witness summons have been signed by presiding Grade one Magistrate Valerian Tumuhimbise requiring Tumukunde’s biological Son Amanya Nduhura Tumukunde as one of the prosecution witnesses in this case.
Its alleged that on 13th/March at his office Impala Avenue in Kololo, Tumukunde was found in illegal possession of 2 guns; an Ak47 and a pistol plus 34 rounds of ammunitions without a valid firearm licence.
Tumukunde was on 18th/March/2020 arraigned in Court after six days of incarceration without access to his Doctor, Lawyer and Family over charges of Unlawful possession of firearms and Treason.
For the treason case; Tumukunde is alleged to have made statements through interviews conducted on Radio and TV stations which seek to promote hatred, violence, encouraging a neighboring country to support him to overthrow the current Government and instigating a mutiny within the armed forces.
He is said to have committed the Treason offence on 5th/March/2020, at NBS Television Kamwokya in Kampala.
He has since denied both charges and he is out on bail.
Meanwhile Tumukunde’s lawyer Wameli intends to challenge Tumukunde’s trial on grounds that he was detained beyond 48hrs in Police Custody before producing him in a court of law; which amounted to violation of his right to a fair trial and freedom from torture, inhumane and degrading treatment.
