Bobi Wine’s bodyguard charged with treason, remanded
What you need to know:
- Mr Mutwe was on Tuesday arraigned before the Gulu grade one magistrate and charged alongside one Mr Musa Ssenyange, a driver and machine operator.
- They were charged just hours after the High court in Kampala ordered their unconditional release because they were being held illegally following their arrest on August 25.
Edward Sebuufu alias Eddie Mutwe, the bodyguard of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, has been charged with treason and remanded.
Mr Mutwe was on Tuesday arraigned before the Gulu grade one magistrate and charged alongside one Mr Musa Ssenyange, a driver and machine operator.
PRESIDENT'S CONVOY
The state contends that the two and others used a grader to block President Yoweri Museveni's convoy in Arua Municipality last month.
Grade one Magistrate Yunus Ndiwalana remanded them to Gulu Central prison until October 1 when they will appear in court along with 33 others who are already on remand on similar charges.
They were charged just hours after the High court in Kampala ordered their unconditional release because they were being held illegally following their arrest on August 25.
Justice Musa Ssekaana gave the order on Monday following the submission of Mr Mutwe’s lawyer, Eron Kiiza, who told court that his client had not been in detention without trial beyond the mandatory period as provided by law.
The lawyer also told the court that Mr Mutwe’s family did not know his whereabouts since his arrest on August 25 at Kamwokya, Ssemakokiro Plaza in Kampala.
MORE CHARGES
Mr Kyagulanyi is currently in the US where he went for specialised treatment after he was reportedly tortured by security operatives in Uganda.
Last week, he said he was determined to return to Kampala despite being indicted for treason.
Mr Kyagulanyi, 36, said he would return after treatment for injuries he sustained when Ugandan police detained and beat him.
"I want to go home. I want to continue to call upon all Ugandans to stand up for what they believe in," said the reggae star, who entered parliament as an independent MP last year.
He was arrested last month after some of his supporters allegedly stoned President Museveni's car during Arua Municipality MP elections.
"There is a treason charge against me and I believe many more charges will come. I know I could go to prison, I still could be hanged and I also know I could be illegally assassinated. My driver was shot and killed while sitting in the same spot I'd been sitting just a few seconds before. I know everything is possible in Uganda," the MP told AFP.
Mr Kyagulanyi has become a lightning rod for opposition sentiment against Mr Musaveni, the 74-year-old president who has been in power since 1986.
