Nsenga’s widow still in custody, police insist

Ms Jackie Uwera has been in detention at the Special Investigations Unit at Kireka since February 2, which is a violation of the Constitution.

Police have insisted that the widow of Juvenal Nsenga is still in their custody a month since she was arrested over the death of her husband.

Ms Jackie Uwera has been in detention at the Special Investigations Unit at Kireka since February 2, which is a violation of the Constitution that mandates a suspect not to be detained in police cells beyond 48 hours.

Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba, in a statement, said: “Her file was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for perusal and advice and once it returns, we will follow the instructions.”

She was clarifying an earlier story that a police bond had been issued to Ms Uwera.

In January this year, Juvenal Nsenga was allegedly knocked dead by a car driven by Ms Uwera at the entrance of their marital home in Bugolobi, a Kampala suburb.

Ms Uwera claimed the accident was not intentional which police dispute.
However, police are not giving reasons as to why they are detaining Ms Uwera beyond the mandatory period.

Ms Beata Chelimo, the commandant of SIU, declined to comment on the arrest, saying it is being handled by the CIID director, Ms Grace Akullo.
Efforts to reach Ms Akullo were futile as she was reported to be in a meeting.

Interestingly, Ms Uwera has not yet instructed her attorneys to challenge the detention.

However, during the funeral service of the deceased, his parents asked the police not to investigate the case.

The police declined to drop the case, saying a case involving death of a person by another is criminal and the laws mandate them to investigate.

abagala@ug.nationmedia.com