Bukenya, Police issue parallel statements on detention
What you need to know:
However, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, Mr Patrick Onyango, said Prof. Bukenya has not been put under arrest because he has not committed any criminal offence.
KAMPALA.
Prof. Gilbert Bukenya and Police authorities are pointing fingers at each other over the detention of his supporters in Kakiri, Wakiso district.
The former Vice President told Daily Monitor by telephone this evening that he and a group of supporters had been arrested by Police.
However, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, Mr Patrick Onyango, said Prof. Bukenya has not been put under arrest because he has not committed any criminal offence.
“We haven’t arrested him. He came demanding for the release of his supporters but when the officers refused, he insisted that he should be detained with them. Our officers have instructions not to arrest him,” Mr Onyango said.
According to Police, Bukenya’s supporters were detained on traffic offences.
“They were in two cars; one was in poor mechanical condition and the other was overloaded,” Mr Oyango noted.
Police authorities also indicated that, Kampala Metropolitan Police commander, Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi, by press time had given orders to the officers at Kakiri to issue express penalty tickets to the driver of the vehicles that were carrying Prof. Bukenya’s supporters and release them immediately.
But an aide to Prof. Bukenya, identified only as Agnes, however, said Police rounded up the supporters from Bukenya’s supporters from his home.
“He was addressing them at him home when Police came in and said the assembly was illegal, they were both arrested.”
Daily Monitor is still trying verify both claims by Police and Prof. Bukenya.