Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Luke Oweyesigire has, in a telephone interview with PML Daily, refuted claims that Herbert Kaddu, the man who tried to attack Namirembe Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira on Easter Sunday is mentally unstable.
According to Mr Oweyesigire, police took Kaddu for a test to MayFair Clinic in Wandegeya where it was established that he had no mental problem as his family earlier stated.
Congregants at Namirembe Cathedral were Sunday morning thrown into panic when Kaddu ran towards the main celebrant of the Easter Sunday prayers, Bishop Luwalira.
Kaddu beat the Cathedral security, running at high speed towards the Altar where Bishop Luwalira was conducting Service.
Clad in a floral red shirt and cream khaki trousers Kaddu reportedly drove to the Cathedral entrance in a Super Custom van, jumped out with a long stick and a bark cloth pinned to his back and stormed the church.
Lay readers, police officers and some congregants jumped to the Bishop’s rescue, arresting Kaddu who had tripped and fallen and they took him out of Church to Namiremebe Police Station.
After arrest, the suspect’s relatives told police that he had a mental problem, but when he was examined by police medics, he was found sane.
Police have since preferred against him two offences of threatening violence and disturbing the peace of a religious assembly.
Kaddu has since come out to say he did not want to harm the cleric but only wanted to be healed from evil spirits that have been tormenting him for a long time.
Kaddu, in a statement to police detectives, said he wanted the bark cloth and the traditional stick, which he was found with at the time of the attack, to be burnt by Bishop Luwalira as he had inherited them from his grandfather.
Deputy police spokesperson Patrick Onyango told journalists that Kaddu told detectives he was tired of being harassed by the evil spirits, which he said were bequeathed to him by his late grandfather.
Mr Owesigire added that Kaddu’s statement indicates that this is not the first time this occurred to him.
The police spokesperson told PML Daily that police have left the matter for court to determine his mental status or charge him.
PML Daily contacted criminal defence lawyer Allan Sserulika of Nsubuga, Mubiru & Co. Advocates, who said for starters, court will have to determine whether the clinic where Kaddu was taken for a mental test is credible and certified to carry out mental tests.
“For such cases, one has to be taken to a certified psychiatrist, who has been in practice for some time to have their status confirmed,” Mr Sserulika states.
He adds that Kaddu can argue partial insanity where he will have to prove that he was insane at the time of the incident.
According to a source, Kaddu’s family is planning to meet Bishop Luwalira and apologise.
