KAMPALA.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba has condemned the raid of Lubowa Police Station by soldiers and said joint police-army investigations have started, in a bid to hold the wrongdoers responsible.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Monitor News Paper on May 5, IGP Byakagaba vowed that those culpable in the raid would account for their actions.
“We are carrying out investigations of that incident jointly. The people behind it will be held responsible,” he said.
Last Wednesday, soldiers raided Lubowa Police Station, and beat up police officers, including the Officer-in-charge of the station, Assistant Superintendent of Police Innocent Sunday, and the civilians before robbing them of money, mobile phones, government stores, and other items.
The raid followed the soldiers’ arrest of eight people they accused of different offences, like attempting to assassinate a judicial officer and wrongful parking in Lubowa Housing Estate, and handed them to police, who declined to detain them.
Police later opened offences of attempted murder and aggravated robbery against the soldiers. IGP Byakagaba said what happened at Lubowa was the actions of individual wrongdoers that are contrary to the policies of security agencies.
“Actions of individuals should be separated from the actions of the agencies. The security agencies have a good working relationship,” IGP Byakagaba said. The IGP said despite the Lubowa incident, the police and the army maintain a strong relationship.
“Our relationship with the army is very strong. It will not be weakened by the incident that happened in Lubowa. …That incident (at Lubowa) doesn’t in any way affect the relationship of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and the police. If there are wrong individuals, our systems are in place to handle them,” he said.
However, Lubowa Police Station officers and their civilian clients, who were beaten and their properties robbed by Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces soldiers last Wednesday, were disappointed that they may not get justice and recover their stolen items.
Some of the victims, who talked to Monitor, said they have recorded statements, but the soldiers haven’t returned the items they stole from them.
“The soldiers also took away the OC Station’s insignia and epaulettes.
So he can’t wear this uniform without them because they are the ones that show his rank [an assistant Superintendent of Police] in the police,” one of the victims said.
The acting director of Public Information in the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Col Chris Magezi, had earlier said they were working with police to resolve the issues that led the soldiers to raid the police station.
The incident started when soldiers arrested four people occupying a vehicle on Mandela Lane in Lubowa Housing Estate.
The soldiers claimed that they suspected the four of an attempt to assassinate a judicial officer residing in the area.
The soldiers later arrested four other people, who came to find out why they were beating up those they had arrested.
The eight people alleged they were beaten and robbed of their money and property before they were later taken to Lubowa Police Station.
Officers at Lubowa Police Station declined to detain the eight people because the soldiers hadn’t involved them in the operation. This annoyed the soldiers, and they ordered a reinforcement in which they raided the police station and beat up everyone they found there.
A source close to the police officers, who were beaten by the soldiers, said they were disappointed with their top commanders for their failure to help them get treatment for the injuries and also pursue justice. “Since the attack, the Lubowa officers have been spending their money on treatment. The police haven’t taken their case seriously.
They have lost hope that justice will be done and will be able to recover their properties,” a source said. The army that often takes over criminal cases in which soldiers are involved hasn’t sent their investigators to follow up on the incident.
“Nothing is going on.
The Directorate of Intelligence and Security (formerly Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence) hasn’t sent anyone to investigate the case. We understand the suspects led by one Maj Kwikiriza are roaming free,” the source said.
It is alleged that Maj Kwikiriza is the one who led the soldiers during the raid on the police station. Also, it is alleged that Maj Kwikiriza slapped and beat up ASP Sunday and also ordered that he be shot dead, but he was saved by a low-ranking soldier.
PREVIOUS INCIDENTS
Two years ago, over eight soldiers raided Lumuli Police Station and forcefully released their colleagues, who had been detained for staging illegal roadblocks to rob unsuspecting motorists in Ndejje Parish, Wakiso District.
In January 2022, a soldier shot traffic police Constable Robert Mukebezi in the leg, leading to his amputation. However, the suspects were never apprehended.
In March 2020, three police officers were shot dead on allegations that they were criminals in Bunamwaya Parish, Makindye Ssabagabo, Wakiso District. However, the police waited for details from the army about the reasons for the killing in vain.
In March 2019, Internal Security Organisation officers arrested Police Constable Gideon Mbirire attached to Kabulengwa Police Post in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, and tortured on suspicion that he hired a firearm to criminals.
Constable Mbirire died while being taken to the hospital, prompting police to open a case of murder against the ISO operatives. The police didn’t follow up on the case.
Nine months later the Gombolola ISO commander, who led the torture of Constable Mbirire was deployed in Makindye Division. This article is extracted from Monitor Publications Ltd website