The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The whereabouts of Dr Ismail Kalule remain unknown since both the army and Police have denied arresting him. Plain clothed armed men reportedly picked up Dr Kalule from his Clinic at Aldina Mosque in Old Kampala on Saturday afternoon, according to his lawyer, Evans Ochieng.
However, the Deputy Defense Ministry Spokesperson, Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki has distanced the army from Dr Kalule’s arrest. He however, suspects he could be in the hands of the police force. But Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga says Dr Kalule in not in their custody.
Dr Kalule has been in and out of jail over his alleged links to terrorists. He was first picked up in 2010 shortly after the July 2010 twin bombing in Kampala on charges of murder, terrorism and being an accessory to terrorism. Police claimed he had aided and facilitated the prime suspects in the bombing and that they had recovered literature on manufacturing bombs from Dr Kalule’s home in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb.
Prosecution linked him to the July 2010 Kampala twin bombings at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kabalagala and Kyaddondo Rugby Grounds. The bombings claimed the lives of 74 people and left scores injured.
He was acquitted in 2016 by Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo in the International Crime Division of High court following the failure by prosecution to avail sufficient evidence linking him to the terror attack and locate him at the scene of crime.
But shortly after his release, Dr Kalule was rearrested together with his co-accused Abubaker Batemyetto and three Kenyans Yahaya Suleiman Mbuthia, Muhammad Hamid Suleiman alias Abu Zainab and Omar Awadh Omar.
Prosecution explained that the group had been rearrested for planning terror attacks in Jinja and Kampala while Luzira Prisons.
In April, 2018, Dr Kalule’s lawyers, Caleb Alaka and Evans Ochieng applied for bail before Justice Moses Mukiibi, which was granted. Dr Kalule didn’t leave the court premises even after Justice Mukiibi warned security agencies not to rearrest him just like it had been on the previous occasions.
He was returned to Luzira until September, 4, 2018 when the Director of Public Prosecution, Justice Mike Chibita through Principal State Attorney Lino Anguzu dropped all the charges against him and his co-accused citing lack of sufficient evidence against them.
Justice Margaret Oumo Oguli of the International Crimes Division accordingly released the group. Dr Kalule has been enjoying his freedom since then until his arrest on Saturday on unknown charges.
His re-arrest comes at a time when Ugandan Security is on high alert following the Dusit Hotel terror attack in Nairobi, Kenya which claimed the lives of 21 and injured scores of others.
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