The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Lawyers representing Norbert Ariho, a private bodyguard of presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu are demanding for his unconditional release.
In an application filed before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s court, the lawyers led by Benjamin Katana and Shamim Malende allege that Ariho has been held beyond the mandatory 48 hours without any charges against him since his arrest on December 4th.
In their application, the lawyers note that the continued detention without charges is illegal and inhumane.
Katana says that they want the court to compel the police’s Criminal Investigations Department-CID director Grace Akullo to unconditionally produce the suspect in court or release him.
“We want court to force police to release him if they have failed to produce him in courts of law, ever since he was arrested, no one has been allowed to see him that’s why we have written this application to the court,” said Katana. There also others detained in different places we’re still tracking.
On Monday, police spokesperson Fred Enanga told journalists that Ariho is currently detained at the Special Investigations Directorate Kireka. Police arrested Ariho on Friday in Buhuro, Manafwa district at one of Kyagulanyi’s rallies.
He was accused of owning a teargas canister, obstructing police and incitement of violence.
A police source at Kibuli CID Headquarters intimated to URN that Ariho alongside two other NUP supporters who were arrested on the same day are likely to appear in Kayunga court on Thursday.
On Saturday, Ariho’s colleague Jamshid Kavuma was detained at Kasangati police station and released on Tuesday.
Kyagulanyi dismissed the charges against Ariho as mere fabrications. He said his bodyguard wasn’t arrested because of the canister but because the state is trying to fulfill its plan of arresting, detaining and torturing his comrades until the elections are over.
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