Police officers in Busia beat rape suspect into coma

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Four police officers at Dabani police station in Busia district are in trouble for beating a rape suspect into coma. The Busia Resident District Commissioner, Michael Kibwika has ordered the arrest of the officers.

They are accused of assaulting 34 year-old Geoffrey Wamunyororo Wejuli, a resident of Nangwe shops in Busia municipality. According to the RDC, the officers descended on the suspect whom they found watching TV in his house instead of arresting him.

Wamunyororo is accused of raping a housemaid. Kibwika has condemned the conduct of the officers and ordered their immediate arrest to face the law.

Wejuli is battling for his life at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital where he was rushed in a bad shape with injuries on the head, neck and over bleeding. A senior doctor in Mbale regional referral hospital told URN on condition of anonymity that they are planning to refer the victim to Mulago National Referral Hospital for better management because his situation is worrying.

Musa Mangeni, a neighbour to Wejuli says that four armed police officers stormed Wejuli’s home around 5:00pm on Tuesday to arrest him. He however says they heard noise from his family members shortly after the officers entered the house prompting them to intervene. Sadiq Amin Agele, the Mayor of Busia municipality says that they intervened and rushed the victim to Masafu General Hospital.

Iddi Kibaki Muhammad, the LC3 chairperson of the Western Division wondered how police officers attached to the substation in Dabani sub-county would come and effect an arrest in Busia town, which has a central police station.

The Bukedi South Police Spokesperson Moses Mugwe says that inquiries in both cases are ongoing to establish what transpired.

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URN