Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police director for crime intelligence, Brig Chris Damulira, has revealed that people abducted by security operatives are likely to face terrorism charges in courts of law. Abduction, which is the forceful carrying away of a person without following lawful procedures, has been rampant since mid-November 2020.
Damulira, who was addressing the media on Monday at police headquarters, said many of the suspects who are still in the hands of security agencies engaged in terrorism related activities disputing President Yoweri Museveni’s victory.
Museveni was announced winner of January 14 presidential elections by Justice Simon Byabakama, the Electoral Commission Chairman, after scoring 58 percent of the votes cast while his closet rival Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi had 35 percent.
Damulira said soon after Museveni emerged victorious, several youths threw petrol bombs at government vehicles at Nsangi along Kampala – Masaka highway, Nkrumah Road, Arua Park and Kikuubo Market all located in the central business district of Kampala.
Media team that were in all these places on the day Museveni was announced winner never saw such happenings and Police have also not released any CCTV footage showing the incidents being cited by intelligence director.
The suspects who have spent over a month in custody without trial wait for Criminal Investigations Directorate headed by AIGP Grace Akullo and Directorate of Public Prosecution led by Justice Jane Frances Abodo to seal their fate.
Besides those that allegedly threw petrol bombs, Damulira said other people were picked by security personnel because they threw handbills with seditious information rallying the public to dishonor this government but also disrespect the entire electoral process.
In addition, Damulira said there was also a group that was dropping anonymous letters warning some sections of the public to have their last meals as they were soon going to be killed. All those incidents, according to Damulira, tantamount to terrorism.
Security abductions started in November last year and have since spread to places like Entebbe, Mukono, Mpigi, Masaka and Kyotera. In Kampala, security abductions have been reported in Masanafu, Makerere, Bwaise, Kawaala, Bugolobi and Kireka.
Operatives often dressed in army and counter-terrorism attires moving in numberless Toyota Hiace vehicles infamously known as Drones have grabbed people from their homes, workplaces, shops, on the way and markets. Almost every day, members of the public appear in news bulletins crying for their people whose whereabouts are not known.
President Yoweri Museveni said he deployed military commandos to arrest whoever was planning to cause havoc during and after the general elections. He said all people reported to have disappeared were with security agencies.
Counter-terrorism director AIGP Abbas Byakagaba, on the contrary said there has been no terrorism threats geared towards Uganda. Byakagaba said the situation is quite stable even though a looming threat is always there.
Byakagaba, Damulira and their CID counterpart AIGP Akullo remained tight lipped on violation of the 48 hours’ rule within which suspects are supposed to be arraigned before courts of law.
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