Activists released

The four Mukula activists accuse the police of spraying them with chemicals during detention.

Soroti

Four opposition politicians arrested last week were on Saturday released on police bond, amidst claims of being “poisoned” by security agents.

The suspects claim that the Soroti District police commander, Mr Joab Wabwire, sprayed them with a chemical while in Soroti police before ordering for their transfer to other locations. The four are members of a pressure group backing jailed Soroti Municipality MP Mike Mukula. They were picked up last week a head of a planned fundraising drive for the MP.

The suspects are Mr Honrant Okello, the speaker Soroti municipality, Julius Ocen of UPC, Jimmy Oriokot of PPP and Jonathan Ebwalu. They were transferred to Bukedea and Kumi on Wednesday night.

Mr Okello said after the chemical was sprayed on them, he developed breathing complications and abdominal pain. “I am finding it hard to breathe, I do not have appetite for food,” Mr Okello said.

Mistreatment
Mr Okello added that even after throwing them inside the police van, the police officers on board continued spraying red pepper on them.

Mr Samuel Isodo, a lawyer representing the four politicians, said his clients were victims of political persecution. However, Mr Juma Hassan Nyene, the spokesperson for police in the region, said the allegations of poisoning were baseless.

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