Inmate loses leg over torture

Victim. Aloysius Wasswa at Mulago hospital recently. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI

KAMPALA.

Upper Mulago hospital was yesterday heavily guarded as an inmate, who was allegedly tortured in prison cells, had his leg amputated.
Journalists were chased away from covering the story of Aloysius Wasswa, 21, who is currently receiving treatment, after being tortured while on remand at Kyabasanja Prison in Kakumiro District.
Despite the hospital granting access to the inmate, the prisons officer guarding the entrance to the trauma ward blocked journalists after consulting his bosses.
Mr Zakaria Ssekyazi, the father of the inmate, told Daily Monitor that his son was tortured by the officer-in-charge of the prison, Mr Ferdinand Baker.
“On April 8, my son was arrested, taken to Kakumiro Police Station and later to Kyabasanja Prison where he was remanded for one month up to May 10,” Mr Ssekyazi said.
Days later, he said he received a call from his daughter-in-law, informing him that his son was admitted to Kakumumiro after being badly beaten
“I went to the health centre and found my son had been tortured with wounds on both legs and head. He had been escorted by a one Baker, who told me that my son had been beaten by fellow prisoners while attempting to escape,” he said.
After spending a day at the health centre, he said his son was returned to the prison where more torture was unleashed.
“It is after two days that I visited the prison and found the wounds inflicted on my son rotting. He told me he had been kept in a toilet,” Mr Ssekyazi said. Upon a request to have his son treated, Mr Ssekyazi said he was informed by Baker that there was no fuel in the prison’s vehicle.
“I then gave him Shs20,000 to fuel the vehicle and another Shs10,000 to cater for the prison warder to guard him,” he added.
He said his son’s condition worsened, forcing them to refer him to Mubende hospital, who in turn referred them to Mulago.
Mr Ssekyazi wants government to ensure his son gets justice but also needs financial assistance to meet the daily expenses while at Mulago.