The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda police has arrested the policemen who shot a one Ronald Ssebulime for allegedly trailing Idah Nantaba, the Information Communication and Technology State Minister on Sunday.
“Upon further scrutiny by a joint team of investigators from the Kampala, Metropolitan East Regiona and Homicide from CID headquarters, we can certainly say that, what was first reported as typical police shooting, story, where perceived dangerous suspects were shot at during a pursuit, is now established to be a straight forward care, of murder. We are now holding the officers accountable for murder, conspiracy and for professional misconduct,” police said in a statement signed by spokesman CP Fred Enanga. (full statement bottom)
Enanga said police has arrested the car commander and 02 crew members to the “999” patrol vehicle, under Registration number UP5745 “for trying to conceal the true facts of the events surrounding the killing of Sebulime Ronald, after they submitted false reports about what really happened upon intercepting.”
Earlier, the family and mourners of the late Ssebulime petitioned President Yoweri Museveni to institute independent investigations team into the circumstances, under which the deceased was gunned down.
Ssebulime was gunned down in Nagojje village in Mukono district on Sunday over the weekend by police officers for allegedly trailing Minister Nantaba.
It was somber mood when Ssebulime’s family received his body at his home in Nakabugo village in Wakiso Sub County, Wakiso District on Tuesday afternoon.
Annet Nabukenya, one of the mourners noted that from several media reports they have been reading, it appears the deceased was killed in an extrajudicial manner.
Some eye witnesses claim that Ssebulime was arrested and handcuffed before he was shot to death at close range.
Irene Nakazibwe, sister to the deceased, insists that her brother was innocent and was on his was to visit his children at St Andrew Kabimbiri Secondary School in Kayunga District.
She says that as a family they will not sit back until the truth about their brother’s death is revealed.
Silvia Nakayita, also a sister to Ssebulime, says they expected the postmortem report to reveal some facts on how the deceased met his death, but their efforts to get it haven’t yielded results.
She says that even receiving the body of the deceased was a tag war as police officers kept tossing them around to first get some necessary paperwork from Nagalama Police Station and Wandegeya among other places.
Police searched the deceased’s residence on Monday in the presence of his family members but nothing was found.
Ssebulime has been a welder and renowned biker at Bulaga on Mityana Road. He is survived by three children. He will be buried at Kyabarenga in Mubende District District
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FULL STATEMENT
PRESS RELEASE
We regret that our initial media release of Sunday, 24th March 2019, surrounding the drive by threats by Hon. Idah Nantaba was not totally accurate. The true facts are that on Sunday, 24th March, 2019 the Hon. Minister Idah Nantaba while buying fruits at a roadside market around Ssinda, located 6 km after Sezibwa bridge, saw a motor cycle rider, who from her instincts, appeared to be a dangerous person. The rider who was inquiring about the location of Kabimbiri, immediately after sped off at a high speed, towards Mukono direction, but was given a chase by the Hon Minister, up to Nagalama Police Station, where she alerted the police and also dropped her bodyguard. She again tried to give the suspected rider a further chase in the direction of Mukono, but all in vain.
However, the 999 crew from Mukono that responded to the earlier emergency call from Nagalama police station, intercepted the alleged suspects after they hit a road hump and fell off. The crew concentrated on the rider Ssebulime who was carrying a bag, chased and after a few warning shots in the air, the suspect stopped and surrendered to the police, who arrested and led him to the police vehicle. The stranger, whom he was carrying, to guide him to St. Andrew Kaggwa for visitation, also disappeared and was not traced. It is true that the deceased was removed from the police pickup and instantly shot dead by our officer.
The police has arrested the car commander and 02 crew members to the “999” patrol vehicle, under Registration number UP5745, for trying to conceal the true facts of the events surrounding the killing of Sebulime Ronald, after they submitted false reports about what really happened upon intercepting the suspects at Nagojje trading center, on Sunday the 24th March 2019. The arrested officers include; No. 51543 Cpl Ssali Edward, who was the car commander, No. 50162 PC Opira Ronald and No. 5729 PC Baganza Ronald. The other crew member No. 62163 PC Cherotich Robert is still absent but wanted. The team had responded to a complaint of a drive-by threat by the Hon Minister of State for ICT, Aida Nantaba.
The Police created a joint team of investigators from the Kampala Metropolitan East Region and Homicide squad from CID headquarters, who upon further scrutiny of the incident established new findings. We can now certainly say that, what was first reported as a typical police shooting story, where perceived dangerous suspects were shot at during a pursuit, is established to be a straight forward case, of murder. We are now holding the officers accountable for murder, conspiracy and for professional misconduct.
We are also using the incident as a test of leadership against the territorial commanders, who failed to detect the true reality of what happened on that day, and forwarded a report that was not accurate, to their superiors.
We once again extend our sympathies to the family of Ssebulime Ronald, who was shot and killed by our officer. His cause of death was due to hemorrhage following gunshot wounds.
The exhibits of a bag with eats and drinks belonging to the deceased; and the police guns have been recovered, to aid in our investigations.
The police does not condone any acts of extrajudicial nature, reason why we are holding the suspects accountable for the death of Ronald Ssebulime. We also want to thank the residents of Nagojje trading centre and the media for boldly bringing out the facts, about what really happened. Without their concern, this would have been one case where the narrative from our first responders could have defeated justice.
CP Enanga Fred
Police Spokesperson
27th March 2019
