By Mary Kisakye
Five senior police officers have this morning appeared before the General Court Martial sitting in Makindye, a Kampala surburb and have been charged with, among others, alleged kidnap of former Rwandan president, Paul Kagame’s bodyguard.
The suspects are accused of conspiring with a neighbouring country to kidnap Lt Joel Mutabazi in Uganda in 2013.
They include Commandant of Police Professional Standard Unit, Senior Commissioner of Police Joel Aguma; Senior Superintendent of Police Nixon Agasirwe; former commander of Police Special Operations, Sgt Abel Tumukunde under the Flying Squad; Assistant Superintendent of Police Magada under Crime Intelligence; and Faisal Katende under the Flying Squad.
Mr Aguma was suspended in 2013 for allegedly kidnaping and handing over Lt Mutabazi. Lt Mutabazi had fled to Uganda but was reportedly kidnapped in Kampala by security personnel and handed over to the home government. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment by that country’s military court.
Others are Rene Rutagungira, a Rwandan national and Bahati Mugenga Pacifique alia Ilunga Monga who is believed to be from Congo. The top cops appeared before the military court chaired by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti.
The officers were arrested this week and interrogated by military intelligence officers. They have since been in detention on the directives of President Museveni.
The arrest of the top cops and their appearance before the Court Martial follows President Museveni’s recent laments about the character of the police which he said is anti-people.
President Museveni while meeting the Army Council at State House Thursday said the law enforcement body’s actions are “anti-people.”
“They are not anti-government but their actions are anti-people,” the President said.
