Nambooze accuses Police of torture
Aug 21, 2008
Democratic Party (DP) spokesperson Betty Namboze yesterday said the Police mistreated Kampala MP Erias Lukwago when they arrested him in Wandegeya on February 15.
By Madinah Tebajjukira
Democratic Party (DP) spokesperson Betty Namboze yesterday said the Police mistreated Kampala MP Erias Lukwago when they arrested him in Wandegeya on February 15.
Nambooze was yesterday before the parliamentary select committee investigating the conduct of the Police.
She said Police officers in civilian clothes, led by Charles Kataratambi, the head of media and the political desk of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), told Lukwago, who was at a petrol station, that he was under arrest.
After a few minutes, the officers are said to have grabbed him and threw him down before bundling him onto a waiting patrol car. Lukwago demanded to know who the officers were but in vain, Nambooze said.
“The manner in which Lukwago was arrested does not befit the Police force as an institution responsible for protecting citizens. They tortured him severely,†she told a committee chaired by Peter Nyombi (independent).
“Maama nze nfudde (mummy, I am dead),†Nambooze quoted Lukwago as weeping when he was thrown onto the Police vehicle.
Lukwago told the committee on Wednesday that the Police tortured him.
Asked to compare the current Police with that of the past regimes, Namboze said: “In this regime, the Police are better dressed than and more professional in manhandling suspects.â€
Another witness, Joseph Balikuddembe (DP), also accused the Police of beating people in Nakasero on January 19, when Lukwago addressed them.
He singled out the Kampala CID boss, Geoffrey Musana, whom he accused of locking up suspects in a car. “You close the car windows so that these fools die from the vehicle,†Balikuddembe quoted Musana as saying.
The investigation follows the alleged Police harassment of MPs Sam Lyomoki (NRM) and Nabilah Ssempala (FDC).
Democratic Party (DP) spokesperson Betty Namboze yesterday said the Police mistreated Kampala MP Erias Lukwago when they arrested him in Wandegeya on February 15.
Nambooze was yesterday before the parliamentary select committee investigating the conduct of the Police.
She said Police officers in civilian clothes, led by Charles Kataratambi, the head of media and the political desk of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), told Lukwago, who was at a petrol station, that he was under arrest.
After a few minutes, the officers are said to have grabbed him and threw him down before bundling him onto a waiting patrol car. Lukwago demanded to know who the officers were but in vain, Nambooze said.
“The manner in which Lukwago was arrested does not befit the Police force as an institution responsible for protecting citizens. They tortured him severely,†she told a committee chaired by Peter Nyombi (independent).
“Maama nze nfudde (mummy, I am dead),†Nambooze quoted Lukwago as weeping when he was thrown onto the Police vehicle.
Lukwago told the committee on Wednesday that the Police tortured him.
Asked to compare the current Police with that of the past regimes, Namboze said: “In this regime, the Police are better dressed than and more professional in manhandling suspects.â€
Another witness, Joseph Balikuddembe (DP), also accused the Police of beating people in Nakasero on January 19, when Lukwago addressed them.
He singled out the Kampala CID boss, Geoffrey Musana, whom he accused of locking up suspects in a car. “You close the car windows so that these fools die from the vehicle,†Balikuddembe quoted Musana as saying.
The investigation follows the alleged Police harassment of MPs Sam Lyomoki (NRM) and Nabilah Ssempala (FDC).