Is Mbabazi a victim or suspect in Kaweesi murder case?

Mbabazi at Andrew Felix Kaweesi's burial in March this year

The probe into the murder of former Police spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, has taken a new twist after the latest suspect, Christine Muhoza Mbabazi, said one of her accusers could have been among the people who raped her in April.

Mbabazi was Kaweesi's mistress. Mbabazi, who says she was raped by people who broke into her house in Kiwatule on the night of April 16, said she was shocked that a dreadlocked man whom the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) Director General Col. Frank Bagyenda Kaka, brought to pin her had details of her rape incident.

This prompted Mbabazi, 37, to suspect that the man was either part of the gang of thieves that broke into her house and raped her or he was coached to pin her. Mbabazi said Kaka told her that the dreadlocked man was also a suspect in the murder.

 Security personnel at Mbabazi's house

According to a medical report dated April 17, Mbabazi, informed medics that when she woke up on April 16, several men were in her house. She stated that the men stole her money and raped her. Mbabazi reported a case of rape at Kiwatule Police Station under reference number SD 13/17/04/2017.

She underwent medical examination at Market Street Medical Centre in Nakawa on the recommendation of Police. According to the medical report, Mbabazi's vulva was inflamed with a mild bruise, and she had some bleeding.

The probable cause of the injuries was described as being; "consistent with sexual penetration in the last 24 hours." Mbabazi was immediately put on post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which is given to rape victims to protect them against sexually transmitted infections, especially HIV/AIDS.

Her vaginal swap was also taken for DNA analysis. According to Dr. Ojara Santo, who conducted the examination, Mbabazi had clear signs of rape. However, no suspect has been arrested to date.

Until last week, there were 22 suspects Police arrested over Kaweesi's murder. They were charged at Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court and remanded to Luzira Prison. Kaweesi, his body guard Kenneth Erau, and driver Godfrey Mambewa, 
were shot dead on March 17 in Kulambiro, Kampala.

But the arrest of Mbabazi has created a new twist to the case, with ISO now fighting with Police over her custody. Mbabazi's arrest reportedly followed a four-month trail of leads by ISO operatives.

 Mbabazi's home

ISO claimed Mbabazi had vital information regarding Kaweesi's murder, and they offered her protection because some people were after her life. She was arrested and first detained at Tal Cottages in Kabuusu before she was transferred to her house in Ssendawula zone, Lungujja, Rubaga division, where she is currently detained. Six army officers were deployed to guard her house and no visitors are allowed. A few days later, the number of guards was increased from six to 10.

After a month, Mbabazi on October 12 called Old Kampala and Nateete police stations for rescue. She reported a case of kidnap and threatening violence by what she called ‘armed men'. In an operation commanded by the Flying Squad Unit (FSU) commandant, Herbert Muhangi, Police rushed to Mbabazi's rescue, only to find that the ‘armed men' were ISO operatives.

A stand-off ensued as ISO operatives denied Police access to Mbabazi's house. It was during this stand-off that nearly resulted into a fire exchange that the Special Forces Command (SFC) was informed of the impasse. SFC eventually deployed officers who prevailed over the situation.

ISO operatives, however, insisted on guarding Mbabazi at her home, saying she had vital information in the Kaweesi murder case. Police and ISO soldiers stayed at Mbabazi's house throughout the weekend. Later on October 17, sources said the Police chief, Gen. Kale Kayihura, directed Muhangi to arrest the defiant ISO operatives. Led by Old Kampala Division Police Commander, Grace Nyangoma, Police arrested two ISO operatives including their leader, Ramathan Bukenya.

Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye told journalists that they responded to a distress call that was made about a woman who had been kidnapped. When contacted, the ISO boss (Kaka) said they were holding Mbabazi as part of investigations into a big case, but he declined to discuss details.

Security sources, however, revealed that the fight over the protection of Mbabazi has traces of the hostility between the police chief (Kayihura) and the security minister, Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde. After Kaweesi's murder, Police arrested an ISO operative, Lt. Godfrey Musisi together with his wife Grace at their home in Namugongo, Wakiso. Musisi, 52, was released and he claimed that Police had promised him sh1b to pin Tumukunde in the murder.

Although Police dismissed the claim, security operatives state that this was an affront on not only Tumukunde, but ISO as an organisation. "It is unfortunate that this is happening, but it now appears like ISO and the security minister are on one side and Police on the other," the officer observed.

Having been Kaweesi's mistress and known to many security operatives, the source said, ISO could easily find links between Mbabazi and police officers she would regularly talk to. But Mbabazi insists she was being coerced by Col. Kaka to pin senior police officers over the murder of Kaweesi

Mbabazi speaks out
On September 15, I received a call from Afande Kaka, who is well known to me as a friend. Kaka told me he wanted to talk to me and was sending a vehicle to pick me up, and he sent a double cabin. It had two occupants; the driver was Lt. Kagimu and Lt. Jjuuko. But since Jjuuko was not on good talking terms. I refused to board the car and chose to drive mine.

Christine Mbabazi

I thought Kaka was at his office at Nakasero but to my surprise, they led me to Tal Cottages at Kabuusu in Rubaga. I found Kaka sipping a beer and he said: "Mbabazi I have bad news for you. You know about the death of Kaweesi." I got shocked and started trembling with, tears started flowing uncontrollably. After some time, I gathered myself and asked Kaka how I was aware of Kaweesi's death and he said: "You must know and I am done with my investigations.

I only want to hear from you." He asked me whether I was Kaweesi's ADC (Aide de Camp) and I told him Kaweesi was only my friend. He then said his investigations had found that I was part of the arrangements to kill Kaweesi. Kaka said one of the suspects

he had arrested told him that I together with some senior Police officers sat in a meeting that planned Kaweesi's killing at Kati Kati Restaurant the night before he was killed. He then brought a handcuffed man with dreadlocks and asked me whether I knew him, to which I responded in the negative. Kaka then asked the man whether he knew me, and the man said he did. The dreadlocked man claimed he was with me at Kati Kati with other senior Police officers with whom we allegedly planned to kill Kaweesi.

I was dumbstruck! From that moment, all my phones were switched off and the man claimed a Police boss gave me sh200m to feed the killers with information about the deceased's movements. That we were to do this together with Kaweesi's driver (Mambewa), who was also killed. According to Mbabazi, the dreadlocked man said he is the one who drove the assailants. She denied everything and pleaded to be taken to court instead of keeping her under house arrest.

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