Police brutality: New charge slapped on two senior commanders

KAMPALA.
A new charge of neglect of duty has been slapped on two senior police officers as the UN human rights expert pinned the accused persons on torturing supporters of Dr Kizza Besigye.

Ms Catherine Kushemerirwe, the state prosecutor in the ongoing trial of police officers in the police court said Mr Samuel Bamuzibire, former Kampala Metropolitan Field Force police commander and Mr Patrick Muhumuza, former KMP South operations commander, neglected their duty when they did not restrain the officers they were commanding from beating up Dr Besigye’s supporters on July 12 and 13 respectively.

“Mr Chairman [Mr Denis Odongpiny] I would like to amend the charge sheet and include a third count on Mr Bamuzibire and Mr Muhumuza for neglecting their duty when they did not restrain their juniors from beating up civilians,” Ms Kushemerirwe said.

Neglect of duty is contrary to section 44(1) code 19(A) of the police Act. However, Mr Bamuzibire and Mr Muhumuza all pleaded not guilty against the new count slapped on them.

Mr Pollar Awich, an international human rights expert at UN Geneva office, who was summoned by the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, to testify against the suspects, described the officers’ actions as nasty and inhumane.

“I watched the Kalerwe Market and Namasole Road incidents on a local television and I was touched as a human rights expert. The pain that was inflicted on the civilians is considered as torture since it was done with the intent of dispersing them,” Mr Awich said.

During the cross examination, Mr Andrew Kaggwa, former KMP South Regional Police commander, asked Mr Awich to describe the part of the road where the beating up of civilians happened.

Mr Awich said, “My observation was not on the hills, valleys and corners of the road. But I was concerned with how you tortured the innocent civilians.”

Mr Bamuzibire and Mr Muhumuza asked Mr Awich to tell court whether he was in position of identifying the officers he watched on television beating up civilians. Mr Awich replied that he was not after identifying suspects but his interest was in the conduct the officers exhibited while executing their duty.

Constable Muhangi asked Mr Awich to explain why Gen Kayihura summoned him to testify against them among the thousands of human experts in country.
Mr Awich said “I did not apply to be a witness in this case. I was summoned by the IGP. You should blame him for choosing me to testify against you instead of other people.”

The case was adjourned to August 11, when the court will decide whether the suspects have a case to answer or not. Mr Kaggwa, Mr Bamuzibire and Mr Muhumuza are accused alongside constables Kenneth Muhangi, Moses Agaba, Sula Kato, Willy Karyango and Dan Tandeka, a crime preventer.

jkato@ug.nationmedia.com