12 policemen flee after boss’ arrest
Jul 22, 2009
TWELVE policemen from Nateete Police Station are on the run following the arrest of their boss on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni.
By Jeff Lule, Joyce Namutebi
and Eddie Ssejjoba
TWELVE policemen from Nateete Police Station are on the run following the arrest of their boss on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni.
Museveni, during a visit to Nateete on Monday, ordered the arrest and handcuffing of the area Police commander, Robert Ssemata, and his subordinates, Swaleh Swaib and Henry Mukasa, for their involvement in a night eviction and demolition of houses whose ownership is in dispute. Ssemata was also stripped of his pips before he was bundled onto a Police pick-up vehicle.
When Police chief Kale Kayihura visited the scene of the demolished house yesterday, the head of criminal investigations at the Nateete Police Station told him 12 other policemen had gone missing.
“We were surprised to see that some of our officers had disappeared. It was after the arrest of our boss that they disappeared. It was very clear these people were involved, but we have alerted other stations,†he said.
Kayihura said the officers would be hunted for and arrested for their involvement in the eviction, which took place at 5:00am on Saturday.
“It is very surprising that our policemen can be involved in such violent acts. We shall arrest them from wherever they are hiding,†he vowed.
Ssemata was detained together with city businessman Davis Kakwenzire, who was accused of using the Police in the eviction exercise. Kakwenzire, accompanied by the Nateete Police chief and other constables, reportedly beat up the tenants. The left arm of Paul Nalumoso got dislocated while three others allegedly sustained injuries.
Kayihura noted that it was the second time Nateete Police was involved in violent land evictions.
“Before any eviction, the matter has to be investigated by our legal department to avoid hurting people,†he stressed.
“I gave instructions on how to handle these matters because many of our people have been affected and hurt. The exercise has to be done peacefully.â€
Kayihura apologised to the affected people over the way the Police handled the matter.
“I sent a directive before the President visited, but these people never acted. It is a very bad image for the Police to be implicated in such actions.â€
He told the residents that Ssemata would be charged with aggravated assault, malicious damage and aggravated robbery.
Meanwhile, MPS on the defence and internal affairs committee yesterday criticised Museveni over the manner in which the Police commander was arrested together with the constables.
The MPs argued that the officer was humiliated during the arrest. They asked why the President, who is the fountain of honour, did not instruct the Police boss, Kayihura, to deal with the errant officers.
Makindye West MP Hussein Kyanjo (JEEMA), who first raised the concern, said the President was wrong for acting the way he did. “It is wrong for the President to be much more annoyed than some of us who have been slapped by Police officers,†said Kyanjo, who is also shadow minister for internal affairs.
Erute North MP Charles Angiro (Independent) supported Kyanjo, saying Museveni should have first sent a team to investigate the matter.
Committee chairperson and Kakuuto MP Mathias Kasamba (NRM) described the incident as unfortunate. He expressed concern about the way the officers were undressed.
He, however, noted that it was wrong for the officers to demolish the houses at night. The committee, he said, should meet the Police chief and the internal affairs minister to see how to restore confidence in the Police.
Matheniko MP Abura Pirir (NRM) said the Police officers could have acted on the orders of somebody else.
In another development, Kayihura visited Kireka yesterday and ordered for the arrest of over 20 Rapid Response Unit (RRU) operatives implicated in the attack on a Born Again Church on Monday.
The operatives allegedly beat up members of the Christ Sanctuary International Church and stole their money and other items.
One of the implicated officers was identified as ASP Enock Kanzira, who was arrested on the spot. The others were not identified.
The operatives accused the church members of having stolen their cows. But the church authorities argued that the cows had strayed into their compound. The church is near the RRU barracks.
Kayihura said he was contacted by the American embassy after one of the church founders, US pastor Morine Cheney, complained.
and Eddie Ssejjoba
TWELVE policemen from Nateete Police Station are on the run following the arrest of their boss on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni.
Museveni, during a visit to Nateete on Monday, ordered the arrest and handcuffing of the area Police commander, Robert Ssemata, and his subordinates, Swaleh Swaib and Henry Mukasa, for their involvement in a night eviction and demolition of houses whose ownership is in dispute. Ssemata was also stripped of his pips before he was bundled onto a Police pick-up vehicle.
When Police chief Kale Kayihura visited the scene of the demolished house yesterday, the head of criminal investigations at the Nateete Police Station told him 12 other policemen had gone missing.
“We were surprised to see that some of our officers had disappeared. It was after the arrest of our boss that they disappeared. It was very clear these people were involved, but we have alerted other stations,†he said.
Kayihura said the officers would be hunted for and arrested for their involvement in the eviction, which took place at 5:00am on Saturday.
“It is very surprising that our policemen can be involved in such violent acts. We shall arrest them from wherever they are hiding,†he vowed.
Ssemata was detained together with city businessman Davis Kakwenzire, who was accused of using the Police in the eviction exercise. Kakwenzire, accompanied by the Nateete Police chief and other constables, reportedly beat up the tenants. The left arm of Paul Nalumoso got dislocated while three others allegedly sustained injuries.
Kayihura noted that it was the second time Nateete Police was involved in violent land evictions.
“Before any eviction, the matter has to be investigated by our legal department to avoid hurting people,†he stressed.
“I gave instructions on how to handle these matters because many of our people have been affected and hurt. The exercise has to be done peacefully.â€
Kayihura apologised to the affected people over the way the Police handled the matter.
“I sent a directive before the President visited, but these people never acted. It is a very bad image for the Police to be implicated in such actions.â€
He told the residents that Ssemata would be charged with aggravated assault, malicious damage and aggravated robbery.
Meanwhile, MPS on the defence and internal affairs committee yesterday criticised Museveni over the manner in which the Police commander was arrested together with the constables.
The MPs argued that the officer was humiliated during the arrest. They asked why the President, who is the fountain of honour, did not instruct the Police boss, Kayihura, to deal with the errant officers.
Makindye West MP Hussein Kyanjo (JEEMA), who first raised the concern, said the President was wrong for acting the way he did. “It is wrong for the President to be much more annoyed than some of us who have been slapped by Police officers,†said Kyanjo, who is also shadow minister for internal affairs.
Erute North MP Charles Angiro (Independent) supported Kyanjo, saying Museveni should have first sent a team to investigate the matter.
Committee chairperson and Kakuuto MP Mathias Kasamba (NRM) described the incident as unfortunate. He expressed concern about the way the officers were undressed.
He, however, noted that it was wrong for the officers to demolish the houses at night. The committee, he said, should meet the Police chief and the internal affairs minister to see how to restore confidence in the Police.
Matheniko MP Abura Pirir (NRM) said the Police officers could have acted on the orders of somebody else.
In another development, Kayihura visited Kireka yesterday and ordered for the arrest of over 20 Rapid Response Unit (RRU) operatives implicated in the attack on a Born Again Church on Monday.
The operatives allegedly beat up members of the Christ Sanctuary International Church and stole their money and other items.
One of the implicated officers was identified as ASP Enock Kanzira, who was arrested on the spot. The others were not identified.
The operatives accused the church members of having stolen their cows. But the church authorities argued that the cows had strayed into their compound. The church is near the RRU barracks.
Kayihura said he was contacted by the American embassy after one of the church founders, US pastor Morine Cheney, complained.