BUZIGA – Retired Supreme Court Judge George W. Kanyeihamba has on Friday, June 07 been involved in a scuffle with his assigned police guard identified as Collins Magololo after a standoff on where the policeman should deposit his gun, before taking leave of duty.
Apparently, the policeman, who lost a father and was granted permission to go for burial, rejected an order from the retired judge to handover his gun to him.
Referring to Police Standing Orders, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango said officers are not allowed to hand over their firearm to unauthorised persons.
“After the retired Justice had ordered other workers to lock the gate and not to allow the guard to leave, the police guard called his superiors, who Mr. Onyango said, went to the residence and he handed over his gun to them before a new guard was deployed to cover his beat.
Mr. Onyango however denied reports that Justice Kanyeihamba was held hostage by the guard.
“It is unfortunate that the retired Justice decided to alarm the public that he is being held hostage well knowing that he is the one who ordered his other workers to lock the gate,” Mr. Onyango said, faulting Justice Kanyeihamba for the incident.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, Justice Kanyeihamba has also dismissed the rumours circulating on social media that he is being held hostage in his house by one of his bodyguards.
The retired supreme court judge said he is safe is and free but he admitted an earlier scuffle with the guard identified as Mr. Magololo whom he said had refused to hand in his gun while going for his grandfather’s burial.
“That is what caused a scuffle at my house,” the retired judge said.
Justice Kanyeihamba was appointed a member of the Supreme Court of Uganda in 1997 and retired in November 2009.
Previously, he served as minister of commerce, minister of justice, and attorney-general, all in President Yoweri Museveni’s administration. He holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Warwick.
