Bishop Drandua’s sisters injured in cathedral scuffle

Ms Anna Juu

What you need to know:

The Bishop emeritus died on September 1 and was buried a week later inside Ediofe Cathedral. Some mourners and relatives kept vigil at the graveside until last week when police chased them, sparking anti-Bishop Sabino Odoki demonstrations and violent clashes

ARUA.

Two sisters of late Bishop Emeritus Fredrick Drandua were injured in last week’s fracas at Ediofe Cathedral, the seat of the catholic church in Arua, this newspaper can reveal.

Ms Ann Juu, the elder sister of Drandua, said: “That (last Thursday) night I was outside the church at the fireplace and there were policemen guarding. But when the other policemen came, they started pushing me away and I fell down. They (police) did not even talk to me. I was injured on the ankle, but my younger sister was beaten with sticks and gun button.”

The Bishop emeritus died on September 1 and was buried a week later inside Ediofe Cathedral. Some mourners and relatives kept vigil at the graveside until last week when police chased them, sparking anti-Bishop Sabino Odoki demonstrations and violent clashes.

Permission granted
The siblings said yesterday that they were at the graveside, with the permission of the parish priest, to pray for the repose of their brother’s brother. “We do not know what crime we committed because we are still mourning our brother. People should reconcile over the issues that are affecting the church...,” she said.

The police randomly beat up the youths who were protesting the attack on and arrest of their colleagues. The two are receiving treatment at St Assumpta Health Center, which Drandua founded.

The Christians injured in the confrontation accuse the police and UPDF of brutality. Mr Mario Obiga Kania, the state minister for Internal Affairs, however blamed the demonstrators and said the clampdown by security forces was necessary to restore order.

A niece of the late Bishop, Ms Stella Onzia, said: “We were sleeping in the Cathedral praying divine mercy and rosary but when the police came, they beat up people mercilessly accusing the youths of causing chaos in the church. In the process, I was beaten seriously dislocating the ankle which is still swollen. I am in great pain.”

The police did not act in a professional way, according to Mr Kalisto Onama, a victim of the police beating. He added: “They beat me when I had come out of the house to see what was happening. And as a Catholic, when a church bell rings, it means either you are called for mass, death or a crisis. So when the bell rang, I came to get to understand what was happening but the policemen started beating me up and they even picked Shs40,000 that I had in my pocket.”

He said Church matters should not be handled by the police by ruthlessly beating up the Christians at the Cathedral.