The Kampala City Hall Court has issued Criminal Summons to the Independent Presidential Candidate Rtd Lt Gen. Henry Tumukunde to appear before it on 21st December, 2020 and stand trial on charges of Unlawful Possession of Firearms.
Prosecution’s Lillian Omara applied for the criminal summons saying Tumukunde’s involvement in Presidential Campaigns does not mean his pending trial will not proceed.
Ms. Omara had also turned up in Court with three Police Officers attached to CID; as some of the witnesses in this case.
According to Tumukunde’s Lawyer Wameli Anthony, his client failed to return from Kagadi District last night and efforts for his surety and wife Stella Tumukunde to get in touch with him also failed.
Wameli also 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, according to the lawyer, amounted to violation of his right to a fair trial and freedom from torture, inhumane and degrading treatment.
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, 2020 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.
For the treason case, Tumukunde is alleged to have made statements through interviews conducted on Radio and TV stations which sought 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.
Magistrate Tumuhimbise issued the Criminal Summons ordering Tumukunde to be present in Court on 21st December for resumption of his trial if the application challenging his trial over illegal guns doesn’t go in his favour.
