Controversial former State House operative in charge of political intelligence Charles Rwomushana has put up a strong fight shielding Justice Emmanuel Baguma of the Criminal Division of the High Court.
Justice Baguma is accused of being incompetent by a section of opposition figures who blame him for being bias against opposition strongman Dr Kizza Besigye, his political assistant Obed Kamulegeya Lutale and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier Captain Denis Oola Oya.
This week, a defiant Baguma dismissed Besigye’s recusal application on grounds that he had petitioned the Judicial Service Commission seeking his removal from the office of the judge on grounds of being incompetent and biased.
He also dismissed his several applications to be released on bail insisting that he is a threat against State witnesses that is why he should stay on remand until determination of his criminal case.
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Justice Baguma also forced three State brief lawyers led by Sylvia Namawejje, Julius Sserwambala and Sarah Awelo to represent Besigye and Lutale in their battle with the state but the accused persons protested the move insisting that they have the capacity to hire private lawyers.
Earlier, Besigye and Lutale were represented by senior Kenyan lawyer Marth Karua but she was banned from entering Uganda.
Erias Lukwago another lawyer was abducted from his Wakaliga home while he was preparing to drive to serve Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Court documents concerning an application they had filed against him on behalf of Besigye.
Lukwago was charged with mis treason of treason and he still battling for his release from prison.
On Wednesday, Besigye collapsed in the dock while protesting against Justice Baguma’s decision to allow State to proceed and produce witnesses to testify against him and he was rushed to Mulago referral hospital Intensive Care Unit where he is still battling for his life.
Rwomushana insisted that whatever happens, justice Baguma should be respected noting that he is also a human being. He wondered why Besigye is protesting the criminal proceedings against him yet he accepted to be tried on rape and treason charges before until he was exonerated by Court.
“We are supposed to be very careful as a country because we are at a very dangerous stage of an escalating trap. So, we should avoid being dragged in that trap like the way I’m seeing my young brother Eron Kizza declaring Justice Baguma an evil,” Rwomushana stated when appearing on radio Simba’s Gasimbaganne ne bannamawulire talk show.
He added that Museveni understands very well that Besigye and other opposition leaders are exposing him before the world and when he loses the war, he will be defeated and overthrown so the only way to survive is to deploy all his arsenal to expose Besigye and group.
“Yes, you don’t want to be tried and you are playing all those tactics but the other one is the President. He has all the powers and has directed that you have to be tried at all costs,” Rwomushana said.
He advised Ugandans to be very careful in with this Museveni/Besigye war. He compared it to the 1980 days when Museveni and others were convincing the world especially the people of Buganda that president Milton Obote is very dangerous and should be removed from power.
In that battle, people were killed, this means that even this time, if the situation is not carefully handled, people are likely to die.
Ono Bwino understands that Rwomushana is among the potential witnesses paraded by State to testify against Besigye on the allegations that he was planning to assassinate President Museveni, poison top government officials and army generals and overthrow the current government.
Rwomushana was mentioned in Besigye indictment as one of the people who attended several meetings which were planning to assassinate Museveni but like Lukwago, he didn’t report what he saw to the nearby authorities.
Recently, Rwomushana said that among the people he cannot betray because he also was there for him during his most challenging time is president Museveni.
Rwomushana added that he cannot keep quiet when he sees people planning to kill the President or one of his family members.
A highly placed State House source also supported Rwomushana noting that the day he saw President Museveni assure Winnie Byanyima the wife to Dr Besigye that her husband will face the full trial, he understood that Museveni was very determine and ready for everything.
“Besigye trial has placed all of us in panic. Even religious leaders are scared to comment about it because they know that the president is very furious,” a source said.
He claimed that at whatever cost whether present of absent, Besigye will be tried and a judgement will be made.
Aisha Kabanda the National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy secretary general also supported Rwomushana noting that judicial officers should not be personally attacked because of the decisions made especially on denying opposition politicians bail because they are also working under threats and pressure.
“They also have lives like Archbishop Stephen Kazimba once said when people were asking him why he was silent when people’s human rights were being violated by the State. Those judicial officers have young families which they need to protect, so let us also accommodate them,” Kabanda said.
