KAMPALA – The government has blasted Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi, a.k.a Bobi Wine’s international lawyers from the London based Amsterdam & Partners over malicious comments to Uganda regarding the alleged torture of the legislator.
In a September 6 statement, Ofwono Opondo, the Uganda Media Centre Executive Director and government spokesperson denied the government has tortured Bobi Wine saying he was examined to a team of specialists in the presence of his Ugandan lawyers before he left the country, and no condition was found warranting further medical referrals either in Uganda or abroad.
“If indeed Bobi Wine was tortured or injected with unknown substances as being claimed, he should quickly return to Uganda to raise those matters before court where the trial will be, and they shall be transparently investigated, and culprits punished,” Opondo stated.
He added that Mr Amsterdam and others are trying to get Bobi Wine off the hook by employing diversionary tactics because the case is before courts of law in Uganda for treason and inciting violence.
“We strongly reject Mr Amsterdam’s reference of the Ugandan government as a criminal enterprise because Uganda is governed in accordance with our own democratic constitution, laws and regulations, as well as respect to recognised international standards,” Mr Opondo said.
Mr Amsterdam in a tweet on his handle lashed out to government inconceivable statements and failure to respect the human rights of its citizens.
“Just saw this official communiqué from the Government of Uganda, personally attacking me for my defence of Bobi Wine. These sorts of blatant lies only hurt their credibility and detract from the urgent issues of governance and rule of law facing the country,” Mr Amsterdam replied to the Ugandan government.
Mr Amsterdam has outright dismissed the charges against the MP as fabricated and vowed to take on the government on an international front.
“Amsterdam & Partners LLP is currently in the process of submitting petitions and applications before multiple international bodies, and is exploring the potential avenues for the application of individual sanctions against Ugandan officials involved in torture,” said Robert Amsterdam the firm’s founder.
