DPC Kirumira charged with 6 counts
Tried. DPC Muhammad Kirumira. FILE PHOTO.
What you need to know:
- His case was adjourned to February 1 for hearing. Mr Kirumira asked to be represented by a lawyer but he was quickly informed by Mr Odongpiny that there is no legal representation in a disciplinary tribunal.
- Unlike in other cases where officers facing service offences are usually withdrawn from their duty until their cases have been disposed of, Mr Kirumira has not been recalled from duty in Buyende where he was posted in June 2016.
Kampala. The police tribunal has charged Buyende District Police Commander (DPC) Muhammad Kirumira with six counts.
He allegedly committed the offences when he was in-charge of Nansana Police Station in Wakiso District and Old Kampala as division police commander in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Mr Kirumira was arraigned before police tribunal at Police Headquarters in Naguru on Tuesday and charged with torture, extortion, corruption, bribery, unlawful arrests and excessive use of authority.
The counts were read to him by the police prosecutor, Senior Superintendent of Police Katherine Kusemererwa.
Prosecution stated that Mr Kirumira used his powers to torture civilians and extort money from them.
Ms Kusemererwa also submitted that Mr Kirumira, while he was commander of Old Kampala Police Division, arrested Mr Aramathan Kakooza and tortured him until the victim paid Shs350,000 to reclaim his freedom.
She further informed the Police Court that in 2014, Mr Kirumira used his powers to release a suspect in a drug syndicate after the accused paid him Shs4.8m.
The police tribunal is chaired by Senior Commissioner of Police Mr Denis Odongpiny.
“I want to inform this court that the officer in the dock arrested Mr Bosco Kirigwajjo when he was OC for Nansana Police Station in 2013. He slapped, kicked and assaulted the suspect before he put him in the cells. He also arrested two suspects, Mr Robert Kaleefu and Mr James Kakaire, and extorted Shs250,000 from them,” Ms Kusemererwa submitted.
The prosecution claimed that Mr Kirumira committed torture, assault and unlawful arrests which action is tantamount to unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority contrary to Section 44(1) Code 24(c) of the Police Act.
The law
Mr Kirumira also faces charges of neglect of duty contrary of Section 44(1) Code 19, corruption practices contrary to Section 44(1) Code 23(a) and discreditable or irregular conduct contrary to Section 44(1) Code 12 of the Police Act.
“I want to tell this court, through you Mr Chairman, that I am not aware of those charges and I have never committed any of them. I plead not guilty because I am innocent,” Mr Kirumira told the Tribunal in reply to the summons.
Ms Kusemererwa said she had lined up at least 30 witnesses to pin Mr Kirumira during the trial.
His case was adjourned to February 1 for hearing. Mr Kirumira asked to be represented by a lawyer but he was quickly informed by Mr Odongpiny that there is no legal representation in a disciplinary tribunal.
Unlike in other cases where officers facing service offences are usually withdrawn from their duty until their cases have been disposed of, Mr Kirumira has not been recalled from duty in Buyende where he was posted in June 2016.
