Police probes CMI over MP Godi’s wife’s murder
Dec 13, 2008
WITH almost a week gone as tears, anger and confusion followed the brutal murder of Rehema Nasur a.k.a Caesar, investigations into the case have taken another twist.
By Conan Businge and Herbert Ssempogo
WITH almost a week gone as tears, anger and confusion followed the brutal murder of Rehema Nasur a.k.a Caesar, investigations into the case have taken another twist.
The Police is now investigating circumstances under which a senior officer at the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence reportedly gave bullets to Rehema’s husband, Arua Municipality MP Hussein Akbar Godi. Rehema was killed last Friday under mysterious circumstances. Her body had multiple bullet wounds and had been dumped on Kayunga Road near the Mpoma satellite station.
CMI’s acting director James Mugira, reportedly gave Godi 10 bullets.
Godi’s lawyer Abdu Katuntu, confirmed that after his client got a licensed pistol and seven bullets from the Police, he asked for more ammunition from CMI.
Speaking to journalists after Godi’s interrogation, Katuntu said 10 bullets which were given to him by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence were at his home. The Police later picked the bullets.
According to Ahmed Wafuba, the Police commissioner in charge of private security and fire arms control, all civilians interested in accessing guns, apply through Police and not any other agency.
“Godi lawfully got the gun three weeks ago through the required administrative recommendations and we also gave him ammunition.
But why then should CMI give him more bullets? Even if they were to arm him, they should not have given him ammunition without authorisation from the Inspector General of Police.†Wafuba said he could not speak for CMI and does not know how Godi got more ammunition.
But he added: “I do not expect him (Godi) to get ammunition from CMI. If police licensed his gun, we are also supposed to authorise access to licensed ammunition, and not him getting it from them (military intelligence).â€
If it is discovered that Godi unlawfully got ammunition from CMI, Wafuba says, both him and the person who gave him the ammunition will be charged with unlawful possession of fire arms.
According to the 2002 Anti-Terrorism Act, “Unlawful possession of explosives, ammunition, bombs or any materials for making of any of the foregoing,†is an act that constitutes terrorism.
Terrorism, according to the Act, means causing death or injury to civilians in order to intimidate a population or to compel a government to act in a particular way.
Attempts by Saturday Vision to reach Lt Col. Mugira were futile, as his phone was off.
Wafuba said it was a right of every Ugandan to apply for and access a gun, but this is after a critical assessment of the individual. Godi is being detained at the Central Police Station in Kampala, where he was interrogated yesterday morning.
He was expected to record a statement yesterday and the file would be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution.
Witnesses at the murder scene describe the attacker as a medium-sized man who was wearing a long-sleeved, light blue shirt.
It is still not clear whether Godi’s vehicle and pistol were used in his wife’s murder.
Meanwhile, the Police are also investigating claims that there was a third person in the vehicle when the crime was committed. “We have not yet known who was in the vehicle and the reason why the person was at the crime scene.â€
Eye witnesses say there seems to have been a third person in the vehicle that delivered Rehema and the assailant, at the scene.
It is believed that the third person could have been Richard, whose name witnesses say Rehema screamed as she attempted to run away from her assailant.
The deceased’s family members and friends, however, denied knowing any one called Richard.
WITH almost a week gone as tears, anger and confusion followed the brutal murder of Rehema Nasur a.k.a Caesar, investigations into the case have taken another twist.
The Police is now investigating circumstances under which a senior officer at the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence reportedly gave bullets to Rehema’s husband, Arua Municipality MP Hussein Akbar Godi. Rehema was killed last Friday under mysterious circumstances. Her body had multiple bullet wounds and had been dumped on Kayunga Road near the Mpoma satellite station.
CMI’s acting director James Mugira, reportedly gave Godi 10 bullets.
Godi’s lawyer Abdu Katuntu, confirmed that after his client got a licensed pistol and seven bullets from the Police, he asked for more ammunition from CMI.
Speaking to journalists after Godi’s interrogation, Katuntu said 10 bullets which were given to him by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence were at his home. The Police later picked the bullets.
According to Ahmed Wafuba, the Police commissioner in charge of private security and fire arms control, all civilians interested in accessing guns, apply through Police and not any other agency.
“Godi lawfully got the gun three weeks ago through the required administrative recommendations and we also gave him ammunition.
But why then should CMI give him more bullets? Even if they were to arm him, they should not have given him ammunition without authorisation from the Inspector General of Police.†Wafuba said he could not speak for CMI and does not know how Godi got more ammunition.
But he added: “I do not expect him (Godi) to get ammunition from CMI. If police licensed his gun, we are also supposed to authorise access to licensed ammunition, and not him getting it from them (military intelligence).â€
If it is discovered that Godi unlawfully got ammunition from CMI, Wafuba says, both him and the person who gave him the ammunition will be charged with unlawful possession of fire arms.
According to the 2002 Anti-Terrorism Act, “Unlawful possession of explosives, ammunition, bombs or any materials for making of any of the foregoing,†is an act that constitutes terrorism.
Terrorism, according to the Act, means causing death or injury to civilians in order to intimidate a population or to compel a government to act in a particular way.
Attempts by Saturday Vision to reach Lt Col. Mugira were futile, as his phone was off.
Wafuba said it was a right of every Ugandan to apply for and access a gun, but this is after a critical assessment of the individual. Godi is being detained at the Central Police Station in Kampala, where he was interrogated yesterday morning.
He was expected to record a statement yesterday and the file would be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution.
Witnesses at the murder scene describe the attacker as a medium-sized man who was wearing a long-sleeved, light blue shirt.
It is still not clear whether Godi’s vehicle and pistol were used in his wife’s murder.
Meanwhile, the Police are also investigating claims that there was a third person in the vehicle when the crime was committed. “We have not yet known who was in the vehicle and the reason why the person was at the crime scene.â€
Eye witnesses say there seems to have been a third person in the vehicle that delivered Rehema and the assailant, at the scene.
It is believed that the third person could have been Richard, whose name witnesses say Rehema screamed as she attempted to run away from her assailant.
The deceased’s family members and friends, however, denied knowing any one called Richard.