{UAH} Simon: see what kitu kidogo can do?Besigye Supporters: We’ve Never Been Beaten by Police

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(L-R) Joseph Kaddu, Moses Ddiba and Andrew Ssebitosi addressing the media in Kampala on Tuesday (Photo: Kenneth Kazibwe/ChimpReports)

By: Kenneth Kazibwe

 Aug 9,2016 225 Viewed3 Comments

In a new turn of events, a group of FDC youth who were expected to stand before court and pin senior police officers for beating them during Dr Kizza Besigye's procession in Kampala have denied being ever beaten by cops.

IGP Gen Kale Kayihura and senior officers were recently summoned to appear before Makindye Magistrate's court on Wednesday (Aug. 10) to answer to charges related to police brutality.

The officers are accused of clobbering Besigye's supporters at Kalerwe and Busaabala.

The summoned police commanders include Wesley Nganizi (former Kampala Metropolitan Police North Regional police commander), Geoffrey Kaheebwa (former Kampala Metropolitan Police South DeputyRegional Police Commander) and Moses Nanoka (former Wandegeya Division police commander).

Others are Andrew Kaggwa (former Kampala Police South Regional commander), James Ruhweza (former Kampala Metropolitan Police commander of operations), Samuel Bamuzibire (former Kampala Metropolitan Police Field Force commander) and Patrick Muhumuza (former Kampala Metropolitan Police South operations Field Force police commander).

However on Tuesday morning, a group of youths including Joseph Kaddu, Rogers Ddiba and Andrew Ssebitosi told journalists at a press conference in Kampala that they had been used by a certain group of people both in government and the opposition to pin senior police commanders for beating them.

"I have never been beaten by police as portrayed it in the media last month," Ssebitosi, a resident of Kawempe told a news conference at Makerere Guest House on Tuesday.

"We were approached by a group of lawyers so as we could fabricate evidence pinning police but in the actual sense we were not beaten. We had pressure behind us so we could pin them after being promised Shs5m each after the case," said Ssebitosi who had been lined up as a witness in the case.

The youth said they were given Shs 800,000 each as deposit and that balance would be paid after testifying at the Makindye Magistrate's court.

"I was approached by a one Dan Walyemera from Walyemera and Namugali Company Advocates but behind him was a group of over 30 people pushing us to pin Gen. Kayihura and his men for reportedly brutalizing us," Joseph Kaddu, a boda boda rider from Mulago said.

He explained that being FDC supporters, they were easily targeted after being promised big sums of money that he said were irresistible.

Truth

According to the purported FDC youth, they were later asked to swear affidavits that are set to be used asevidence against the said police officers in court.

"We realized it would look awkward if we went ahead and pinned the police officers for beating us which was not true. We decided to come out and tell the truth of what happened,"Kaddu noted.

Put to task to explain whether they had been forced or compromised to deny being beaten, the group told journalists they felt it was their role to tell the truth.

According to Zaid Ssempala, a self- proclaimed activist, he was early this month approached by the group who wanted to clear the air of what happened.

He promised to reveal the names of all the lawyers and other politicians behind the move.

"It is true police made some mistakes but it was wrong for some people to benefit from it while trying to tarnish names of police commanders," said Ssempala.

Last month, police was condemned for brutally beating Besigye supporters especially boda boda riders who were accompanying him from High Court in Kampala and the Nakawa Magistrate's Court.

The Inspector General of Police later praised his commanders for the job well done when the prevented Besigye's supporters from spilling over to the busy Kampala-Entebbe highway.

Some of the commanders implicated in the alleged beatings have since been transferred or paraded before a police disciplinary committee.

Others have since been charged with offences related to unprofessional behavior that tarnished the name of the police force.

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