KAMPALA – An 18-year-old- boy has asked the High Court in Kampala to compel security agencies to unconditionally release his father whom he claimed they picked from his photo studio in Kazo-Angola Central Zone, Kawempe Division, Kampala, about three weeks ago.
In a suit filed against the Chief of Defence Forces, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the director of Internal Security Organization (ISO) and the director of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) on October 30, Derrick Kibirige claims his father, Sulaiman Ssenfuka, was taken on the orders of the above security chiefs on October 11.
The Attorney General (AG) is also sued alongside the group.
“Counsel for the applicant shall move the Honourable Court for orders to have the body of the above-mentioned applicant (Ssenfuka) immediately before the court at Kampala to undergo and receive all and singular such matters of things as this court shall then and there consider of concerning them in this behalf,” reads in part the suit issued through his lawyers of M/s Nalukoola, Kakeeto Advocates and Solicitors.
“That upon inquiring from all and or several security organs, they have not come out to deny nor accept ever having the applicant in their custody,” states Mr Kibirige in a sworn affidavit before court.
“That the said persons at around noon on that day forced the applicant into the waiting mini bus which sped off to unknown destination. That I and other family members went to Kawempe Police to record our report which they refused and referred us to Mbuya barracks,” reads Kibirige’s affidavit.
He during his father’s arrest, armed officers destroyed several items in the studio such as lights, photograph frames and videotapes among others during their search.
Kibirige said he has since reported the matter to the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) and other security officers but no action has been done since then.
The court is yet set a date for hearing of the case.
This is not the first time the security agencies are being dragged to court over missing persons. In August, High Court in Kampala ordered CMI, the Attorney General and the CDF to immediately produce Mr Eddy Ssebuufu alias Eddie Mutwe in court. The court order followed a habeas corpus application that was made in court seeking a person under detention to be brought before a judge or magistrate especially to secure that person’s release from unjustified incarceration.
The army and police had denied knowledge of his arrest but he was later arraigned before the Gulu Magistrate’s Court and charged with treason over the election chaos in Arua Municipality on August 13.
