KAMPALA – The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has said it will drag to court all police officers involved in meting out brutality against party members.
In particular, the opposition party said it will sue ACP Dennis Namuwoza, the Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, and SSP Rashid Agero, who they claim were caught on camera brutally arresting Dr Kizza Besigye about two weeks ago.
Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi in Kampala on Monday, November 18, 2019, the party deputy spokesman, Mr John Kikonyogo, said the resolution was reached at during a senior management meeting on November 14.
“The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) held a Management meeting on Thursday 14th November 2019 which resolved to try all errant Police officers in Courts of law in their individual capacities,” he said.
“The FDC, therefore, decided to begin with the most recent top culprits that include ACP Dennis Namuwoza who was seen on camera trying to box and squeeze Dr. Besigye’s private parts and SSP Rashid Agero who smashed Dr. Besigye’s windscreens and sprayed his eyes with a chemical yet to be identified,” he added.
Mr Kikonyogo said the move is in line with the Human Rights (Enforcement) Act 2019 that was assented to on 31st March 2019 which clearly defines acts of torture, detention of suspects beyond 48 hours, denial of a right to a fair hearing among others.
“In the Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola’s Circular dated July 3, 2019, he clearly reminded all police officers against such archaic and barbaric acts of torture and affirmed that individual officers would pay their acts at individual level. Unfortunately, even when such laws are assented to, Uganda Police and other security agencies seem to have reached a beyond redemption level that only our efforts will help fix,” he added.
