{UAH} Police torture of suspects must not be left to continue

Police torture of suspects must not be left to continue

Within less than six months, police has presented before the courts of law groups of suspects in bad physical shape, and with visible wounds.

The first case played out on December 14, 2016 when 153 royal guards belonging to the Rwenzururu kingdom claimed that police officers had tortured them while in detention at Nalufenya prison in Jinja.

In fact, at least one of the Rwenzururu attack suspects died in detention, although authorities said he had been sickly even before the incarceration.

The second case happened last Friday, where 13 suspects charged with the murder of the late Assistant Inspector General of Police Andrew Felix Kaweesi came to court limping and with signs of torture. They, too, blamed the police – and even went a step further by requesting the magistrate to transfer them to Luzira prison, which they feel is safer.

Those present in court witnessed heartbreaking scenes, as relatives of the suspects were overtaken by emotions on seeing the effects of the alleged torture, and some promptly broke down.

Police authorities have since released a statement denying the involvement of their officers in the alleged torture of suspects. However, where there are signs of an emerging pattern, there is cause for concern.

Uganda's Constitution upholds the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and provides for humane treatment of all suspected criminals.

Even where criminals are found guilty, it is only the courts with the prerogative to prescribe a punishment, again guided by the law.

It is, therefore, not right for the police to take the law into their own hands and torture suspects either as a way of extracting information from them or as a form of punishment before the courts have pronounced themselves on a case.

We implore the police leadership, through its Professional Standards Unit (PSU), to investigate these allegations and bring to book those officers who are acting in contravention of the laws that govern how they should treat suspects. We also call on parliament and all human rights organisations to take this issue seriously and push for the end of the practice.

If we do not nip this practice in the bud, it could grow into a monster that overwhelms us, just like other vices that are now part and parcel of our society.

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Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)

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