MPs quiz police officers on role in torture of suspects

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Parliament on Thursday tasked senior police officers to explain circumstances under which tortured suspects are dumped at police stations.

The officials led by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Sorowen appeared before Parliament’s Human Rights Committee Chaired by Buvuma Woman MP Janepher Nantume Egunyu.

AIGP Sorowen who represented the Inspector General of Police Okoth Ochola appeared with the Commissioner of Police Christine Nanding, the Deputy Director Human Rights and Legal Services, Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) Commander Moses Kafeero and Assistant Commissioner James Kusemererwa, the Head of Human Rights Department.

The committee was in October tasked by Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga to investigate torture allegations in safe houses raised on the floor of parliament by Arua Municipality MP Kassiano Wadri and Kawempe North MP Latif Ssebaggala. The two MPs raised specific queries with an alleged safe house in Kyengera and Lwamayuba on Kalangala Island.

Since its investigations started, several complaints have emerged that after being tortured in alleged safe houses, the suspects are dumped at police stations and later set free with no charges.

Committee Chairperson Egunyu asked Sorowen whether he was aware of the reported incidences and whether the police maintain a record of people transferred from other places.

Rubanda West MP Eng. Denis Sabiti also questioned whether Police aids in arrest of suspects who are later taken to safe houses as alleged.

Sorowen denied claims of police arresting people and taking them safe houses saying that police has its gazetted detention centres.

He further said that he was not aware of cases of security agencies torturing people and dumping them at police stations.

The Deputy Director Human Rights and Legal Services, Christine Nanding emphasized that police does not condone torture and human rights abuses. She said that it could be difficult for the  suspects to know where they have been.

She also said that every person who is taken to the police station is registered in a lock-up book.

But MPs Ssebaggala and Bwino disagreed with Nading demanding specifics on people who are allegedly dumped at police stations.

Nanding, however, said that the information of people dumped at police stations was new. She requested for more time to produce records of the complaints.

The Committee Chairperson granted the police request to avail the records at a later date.

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