Police boss who assaulted journalist faces another charge . . . of theft

By Eddie Ssejjoba                               

KAMPALA - The Old Kampala police commander, SP Joram Mwesigye who was Tuesday arrested for assaulting a television journalist is facing charges of theft.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, Patrick Onyango confirmed that the Police Standards Unit (PSU) had been investigating Mwesigye in connection to the theft of USD2700 (about sh7m), a camera and a laptop from a Kampala businessman who had been in police custody.

He said Mwesigye was mid-October last year arrested with four other officers attached to Old Kampala Police Station and detained at the Central Police Station (CPS) but they were later released on bond.

It is alleged that one Bosco Ssenoga, a businessman was arrested last year by traffic officers along Muammar Gaddafi Road in Kampala for drunk-driving.

Ssenoga, who was driving a Land Cruiser Reg No UAR 938R, reportedly hit a pavement in the night, forcing the vehicle to swerve off and come to a halt by the roadside.

 Traffic officers from Old Kampala then picked Ssenoga from the vehicle and took him to the station where the police tested him positive for alcohol using a breathalyzer.

He was then detained but it is reported that SP Mwesigye called the file in his office, ordered for his detention but released him hours later.

Police spokesman Onyango said that the suspect [who had been arrested for drunk-driving] complained that he did not find his money and other items that were in his vehicle at the time he was taken to the police station.

It is said that Mwesigye and his officers refused to explain to him the whereabouts of his property and how the money had vanished from the vehicle.

Mwesigye reported the case at CPS where a file was opened and the suspects arrested but released as investigations went on.

Upon his arrest on Tuesday over assaulting Andrew Lwanga – a journalist working with WBS Television –, PSU forwarded Mwesigye's earlier file and it was sent to the Resident State Attorney for perusal.

"The PSU has been investigating and they have reached a conclusion and the suspect will be produced in court," Onyango said.