The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda police Force-UPF has sanctioned four charges against two body guards of Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu aka Bobwine who have been detained at Wandegeya police station since Friday.
Although police arrested them basing on ‘only’ one offence of assaulting police officers on duty, force spokesperson Fred Enanga now reveals that on reviewing CCTV footage from the premises, it has been found that the bodyguards committed three other offences.
Commissioner of Police Enanga has identified the duo as Rashid Kavuma and Matovu Adam, who on Friday assaulted police officers when ordered to vacate the place where they were standing waiting for their boss.
The court had summoned Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu for a hearing about the controversies surrounding his National Unity Platform-NUP party, which he took over from Moses Nkonge Kibalama.
Enanga says the duo who were initially detained on one charge of assaulting police officers on duty, are now being charged with committing acts of violence at court premises, assault , obstructing police officers, and resisting lawful arrest.
“We are expecting their files that were submitted to be returned from the DPP and they are likely to appear in court by either today or tomorrow,” Enanga said this Monday.
He says that the police management has decided to take cases of assaults against police officers on duty seriously following the increasing attacks on police officers by the same group in Robert Kyagulanyi’s camp on several occasions.
At one point in the video that made rounds on social media, Kavuma is shown grabbing a police officer’s collar and pinning him on the wall while other officers trying to rescue their colleague from the charged Kavuma.
“The officers were carrying on their duty, but these two together with others refused to follow instructions and carried out unprovoked attacks on our officers and they are seen to be becoming more emboldened with these acts of violence which we see escalating everyday.” Enanga added.
He warns the public against acts of violence mostly attacks to the police officers.
On their arrest, the NUP-leaning eyewitness Shamim Nabakooza who was together with the duo said emotionally of Kavuma’s arrest: “They have arrested him like a criminal yet they were moving out peacefully. They kicked him and sprayed pepper in his eyes.”
Our efforts to speak to Joel Ssenyonyi the National Unity Platform Spokesperson on the matter was futile as he was not picking our calls.
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The UPF leadership and that of other security agencies MUST quickly devise means of dealing with this tendency where by officers on duty are increasingly getting assaulted by such goons. It’s not acceptable, and demoralizing to police as an institution. The law must allow security officers to defend themselves. Police should also invest in non-lethal methods of subduing suspects, including physicals such as judo, karate, etc; and teasers which numb the resisting suspect. Physical activity such as running, jogging, aerobics, weight lifting, etc should be mandatory for the officers so that they’re physically fit all the time.
From the media footages it appears to have been the reverse. Looks like the officer was drunk and wanted to tussle with the poor youths, even his fellow officers were asking him what the issue was but he was too angered. Alot unresolved anger management issues and the people picked should also be looked into. I think in recruitment they should also look at a person’s social family religious background.