51 arrested over burnt school, residential house
Sep 01, 2008
FIFTY-ONE people claiming to be supporters of Mityana South MP Kaddu Mukasa have been arrested. They were arrested yesterday and detained at Mityana Police Station in connection with demolition of Mityana town mayor Henry Makumbi’s residential house and secondary school.
By Francis Kagolo
FIFTY-ONE people claiming to be supporters of Mityana South MP Kaddu Mukasa have been arrested. They were arrested yesterday and detained at Mityana Police Station in connection with demolition of Mityana town mayor Henry Makumbi’s residential house and secondary school.
Majority of the suspects are boda boda (hire motorcycle) riders and a few others residents of Mityana town, according to the Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba.
They accused Makumbi of having connived with the Police to sabotage a rally that was organised by their area MP Mukasa.
Prior to the incident, the Police fired live bullets to disperse the rally, which Mukasa claimed had been organised to discuss problems concerning boda bodas in the town.
The bullets, injured an unidentified civilian. Furious over the man’s injury and dispersal of the rally, a mob pelted Police officers with stones, before attacking Makumbi’s house and the school.
Nabakooba said eight Police officers sustained injuries and are receiving medical treatment.
The mob also set ablaze several dust bins in the town, before burning tyres in the middle of a road.
“We (Police) warned the organisers of the rally not to stage it in the middle of the town.
They went ahead and put it in the middle of the road, blocking motorists. This was illegal and Police had to intervene, said Nabakoobaâ€
The fifty one suspects were set to appear in court yeaterday and would be charged with malicious damage of property and inciting violence.
Nabakooba added that communities do not have the rights to kill anybody. She said individuals accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty, tried in court and given a chance to defend themselves. She urged people to avoid holding rallies in buisy areas.
FIFTY-ONE people claiming to be supporters of Mityana South MP Kaddu Mukasa have been arrested. They were arrested yesterday and detained at Mityana Police Station in connection with demolition of Mityana town mayor Henry Makumbi’s residential house and secondary school.
Majority of the suspects are boda boda (hire motorcycle) riders and a few others residents of Mityana town, according to the Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba.
They accused Makumbi of having connived with the Police to sabotage a rally that was organised by their area MP Mukasa.
Prior to the incident, the Police fired live bullets to disperse the rally, which Mukasa claimed had been organised to discuss problems concerning boda bodas in the town.
The bullets, injured an unidentified civilian. Furious over the man’s injury and dispersal of the rally, a mob pelted Police officers with stones, before attacking Makumbi’s house and the school.
Nabakooba said eight Police officers sustained injuries and are receiving medical treatment.
The mob also set ablaze several dust bins in the town, before burning tyres in the middle of a road.
“We (Police) warned the organisers of the rally not to stage it in the middle of the town.
They went ahead and put it in the middle of the road, blocking motorists. This was illegal and Police had to intervene, said Nabakoobaâ€
The fifty one suspects were set to appear in court yeaterday and would be charged with malicious damage of property and inciting violence.
Nabakooba added that communities do not have the rights to kill anybody. She said individuals accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty, tried in court and given a chance to defend themselves. She urged people to avoid holding rallies in buisy areas.