Arinaitwe subjected to medical tests

 Gilbert Arinaitwe  Bwana. Photo/File

The Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) detectives Tuesday subjected Gilbert Arinaitwe to mental and HIV tests following his arrest on Friday, last week, over allegedly raping a student.

Arinaitwe, a police officer, came in the limelight after he doused Dr. Kizza Besigye with pepper during his (Besigye's) walk-to- work protests in 2011.

The CID spokesperson Vincent Ssekate said that both the suspect (Arinaitwe) and victim had been subjected to medical check-up. He said that the check-up is a routine procedure during investigations in cases of rape and defilement.

Medical authorities at the Butabika hospital declined to divulge details of their findings to New Vision. However, a police surgeon who spoke to New Vision on condition of anonymity said the findings help the investigators to know whether the suspect is mentally stable and performed the ‘offence' knowingly.

"Also helps the victim by being subjected to a particular type of medication once exposed to any infection," said the police surgeon. 

Until yesterday, Arinaitwe was still being detained at the railway grounds Police station over rape under case reference CID HQTRS GEF 675/2017.

The Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye confirmed Arinaitwe's arrest and detention on Saturday, last week.
 
Kasingye told Sunday Vision that sometime last week, a certain lady went to CID headquarters with her daughter she wanted counselled in order to stay in school.

"When she reached the CID headquarters, she went to Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) office claiming the daughter was a student and that she was not concentrating [in class]. She asked the officers there to counsel the girl so that she continues with her studies," Kasingye said.

Kasingye, who said he was yet to get details, noted that Arinaitwe, who was working in crime intelligence and happened to be in SGBV office as the woman explained her problem, exchanged telephone contacts with the girl.

"He later called her and said he would help her with the offence which her mother had reported. He picked her up in Nakawa in his own car and allegedly raped her. So he has been arrested in connection with rape allegations," he said.

Source said before he was arrested, Arinaitwe was summoned at CID headquarters.

"He came driving his car registration number UAD 413X. When he entered the office, he was told why he had been summoned. They then withdrew his pistol and took him into custody," the source said.

Arinaitwe, who had become a pastor in Makindye division, smashed the window of Besigye's car in 2011 and doused the inside with pepper spray and tear gas before manhandling him into a police pick-up truck and driving off.

Besigye was leading a fifth round of protests against rising food and fuel prices at Mulago roundabout in Kampala.

Police suspended him following the incident. Soon his wife accused him of being abusive and failing to provide for his child.

The Director of Public Prosecutions later cleared him of any offence