Katuramu Case: Major Testifies

By Edith Kimuli THE head of the anti-terrorism unit at the Chieftancy of Military Intelligence, Maj. Kayanja Muhanga, yesterday denied torturing one of the suspected murderers of Prince Happy Kijanangoma. Kayanja was testifying in a trial within a trial after one of the accused, Patrick Kwezi, alleged that he was tortured by the Directorate of Military Intelligence and forced to sign a statement in which he allegedly implicated former Toro premier John Sanyu Katuramu in the Kijanangoma murder. Kayanja said he only escorted the suspect from Kasese, where he was arrested, to the Central Police Station (CPS), Kampala. "I was asked by the commander of the anti-terrorism task force to ensure that Patrick Kwezi, who was arrested by Kasese Police, arrived in Kampala safely," he told Justice John Katutsi, who is hearing the case. He said he went with six armed soldiers and D/SP Omoding, to whom the suspect was handed over by the Kasese District Police Commander. Kayanja said on April 15, 2000, he travelled from Kasese with his team in a double cabin pick-up truck, while Kwezi and Omoding travelled in another pick-up truck. He added that they spent a night in Fort Portal. Kayanja denied claims that he tied bricks to Kwezi's penis and boxed him on the mouth causing a scar that Kwezi showed to the court. Kayanja said nothing happened to Kwezi on the journey from Kasese, and he had never seen him again after leaving him at CPS. An officer attached to CID headquarters told the court that he could not find a lock-up book, showing that Kwezi was detained at CPS. Ends