Eddie Mutwe, the long-serving bodyguard of opposition figure Robert Kyagulanyi, was formally charged with robbery on Monday during a tense and controversial court session marred by serious claims of torture and legal irregularities.
At Masaka Chief Magistrate’s Court, under the oversight of Grade One Magistrate Abdallah Kayiza, Mutwe faced charges of both simple and aggravated robbery related to an incident in Manja village, Lwengo District.
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His co-accused, Achileo Kivumbi—also a bodyguard—was charged with similar offenses.
Mutwe, who was allegedly abducted the previous week, appeared in court under heavy security, barefoot, and in visible distress.
His attorney, Magallena Kazibwe, accused security personnel of subjecting Mutwe to severe torture while in detention.
“He reported being tortured five times daily—beaten with electric wires, electrocuted, and having his genitals crushed,” Kazibwe told journalists outside the courtroom.
“He is in a terrible condition.”
Kazibwe also criticized security officials for restricting her access to her client, stating that she was kept outside the court compound for more than 40 minutes while officers awaited “orders from Kampala” before letting her in.
Magistrate Kayiza ordered that Mutwe be remanded to Masaka Prison due to his physical state.
No plea was taken, and the case is expected to proceed in the coming days.
This incident has intensified scrutiny of Uganda’s security forces, especially after online outrage last week over cryptic posts by First Son and CDF Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba on X, where he insinuated that Mutwe was in his basement, learning Runyankore, and being forced to salute a portrait of President Museveni.
The uproar grew after circulating images showed a nearly naked man resembling Mutwe—sweaty and shaved of his iconic beard—triggering national outrage.
For years, human rights activists and opposition leaders have accused the Ugandan government of using abductions, torture, and politically motivated charges to suppress dissent.
Now before the courts, both the legal case and the disturbing allegations are likely to remain central to Uganda’s increasingly volatile political landscape.
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