The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A team of operatives suspected to be from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence-CMI spent the better part of Wednesday searching the home of Sheikh Yusuf Nyanzi, one of the suspects in the murder of former Police Spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard Kenneth Erau and driver Godfrey Mambewa in March 2017. The operatives stormed Nyanzi’s home in Kyanja-Kisaasi in Nakawa division, on Wednesday afternoon following his arrest on Tuesday morning for unknown reasons.
Nyanzi has been out on bail following his release on September 11th 2019, by the then International Crimes Division Judge, Lydia Mugambe. Nyanzi was first arrested in 2017 for the assassination of Felix Kaweesi. He was also charged with the murder of Major Muhammad Kiggundu and his bodyguard Sergeant Steven Mukasa on November 26th, 2016.
He spent months on remand until he applied for bail through his lawyers from Wameli and Company Advocates, which was granted after numerous applications. Nyanzi has been a free man until his re-arrest on Tuesday morning. His wife, Sumaya Nyanzi says that unidentified security operatives picked up her husband and sixteen-year-old son, Abdul Rahim Yusuf Nyanzi in front of their home in Kyanja-Kisaasi, a Kampala city suburb at around 9 am on Tuesday.
She said that the operatives who were driving in a white Noah vehicle sped off to an unknown destination with the two. On Wednesday morning, our reporter visited Nyanzi’s home and found four plain-clothed armed security operatives guarding the home. Some of the operatives wore Uganda Police Force jackets on top of their plainclothes with black headgears.
An unspecified number of operatives were searching the house in the presence of Nyanzi who was brought in a Toyota Hiace vehicle registration number UAH 694N. Sulaiman Mawejje Salongo, the LC I chairperson Kyanja Central zone, who is also Nyanzi’s immediate neighbour also witnessed the search. The search started at around 10 am and ended almost at 2 pm. According to Nyanzi’s wife, they searched everywhere in the house starting with the bedrooms up to the ceiling. She claims that they left with her agreement for the sale of gold, simcards, passport and other court documents belonging to Nyanzi.
Our reporter has also learnt that the operatives led by detective Inspector of Police Mathias Nabeeta also took two other National Identification Cards registered in the names of unspecified individuals they recovered from the house during the search. As the search was going on, a motorcycle arrived with sixteen-year-old Abdul Rahim, who was arrested together with his father. He fled and hid in a nearby mosque at Kyanja Muslim Primary School after seeing the Toyota Hiace in their compound for fear of being re-arrested.
The teenager later told our reporter that he had seen the same vehicle at the Safe House where he was taken after being separated from his father who told him that incase he is taken back home, he should inform his mother that he is in the hands of CMI operatives at the Special Investigations Department of Police in Kireka. Abdu Rahim, who complained of delayed completion of his primary education because of the repeated arrest of his father, said that he was only given a single meal while in custody.
The teenager also revealed that he was badly pushed under the vehicle as he tried to raise his head and had visible scratches on his right cheek. He also claimed that he found other people in the safe house where he spent a night with rotten legs resulting from torture. Abdu Rahim says that in the morning, a police officer he couldn’t remember called his name and directed a boda boda rider to deliver him to Kyanja. Upon arrival, Abdul Rahim was seen giving the motorcyclist Shillings 10,000, which he later said was given to him by the officer to pay for his transport. His family says they are living in fear and want the government to release the family head unconditionally.
Nyanzi’s arrest comes barely three weeks after a botched assassination of General Katumba Wamala, the former Chief of Defense Forces-CDF. Katumba escaped with bullets lodged in his body. However, his daughter Brenda Nantogo and driver Haruna Kayondo were not lucky and lost their lives in the attack.
Recently, police claimed that the killers of the two used the same gun used to kill Major Muhammad Kiggundu. Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said there was nothing to discuss about Nyanzi’s re-arrest. “There is nothing much we can discuss in details. I need to consult and find out if they have additional investigations,” he said. Nyanzi’s lawyer Geoffrey Turyamusiima was surprised to hear about his re-arrest, saying that he wasn’t aware. He promised to follow up and decide their next course of action.
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