Police deny blocking MP Nambooze from flying out for further treatment
Mr Henry Bakireke, husband to the outspoken Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze holds her hand on her hospital bed at Kirudu Hospital on June 18, 2018. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
- The dialogue that attracted different stakeholders among them police, army and civil society organizations was aimed at enhancing the state of accountability and ending all kinds of impunity and human rights violations.
- Police last Friday arrested Ms Nambooze and detained her at Nagagalama police station before taking her to Kiruddu hospital after her health condition deteriorated.
Police have dismissed reports that they blocked hospitalized Mukono municipality MP Betty Nambooze from traveling abroad for further treatment.
Speaking at the Human Rights Commission dialogue on Tuesday, police head of human rights, AIGP Erasmus Twaruhukwa said they have not yet received any formal communication from the legislator or her lawyers regarding her intention to travel abroad for further treatment.
“We have never gotten any submission showing that Nambooze needs to be taken abroad for treatment but we actually hear rumours. As police, we do not work on hearsay,” said Mr Twaruhukwa.
Justifying why police hold suspects beyond the mandatory 48 hours, Mr Twaruhukwa said: “Sometimes we keep suspects beyond 48 hours because of the prolonged investigations and we release them on bond if we fail to substantially conclude our investigations.”
However, speaking at the same dialogue, human rights lawyer, Mr Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi urged police to always consult with lawyers before keeping suspects in custody for more than 48 hours.
Police last Friday arrested Ms Nambooze and detained her at Nagagalama police station before taking her to Kiruddu hospital after her health condition deteriorated.
Her lawyers led by Kampala lord mayor, Erias Lukwago yesterday petitioned the Uganda Human Rights commission seeking powers to invoke article 53(2) of the constitution to order for her immediate release so that she can travel for further medical review.
The Commission’s chairperson Mr Meddy Kaggwa said they will investigate Ms Nambooze’s case before they can act.
“We are going to look into the document written by Nambooze’s lawyers seeking for her release to go for further treatment and we shall after come up with our side,” noted Mr Kaggwa.
The dialogue that attracted different stakeholders among them police, army and civil society organizations was aimed at enhancing the state of accountability and ending all kinds of impunity and human rights violations.
Mr Kaggwa said the commission intends to talk to all key stakeholders to ensure that they take accountability in preserving human rights while doing their work.
“The police force has now new leadership and we shall put our focus there to see how they can perform better to end violation of human rights,” added Mr Kaggwa.
Ms Nambooze was last Friday scheduled to travel back to India for review following a successful spine operation in November last year at Manipal Hospital where metals were inserted in her back following the September 27 parliamentary fracas.
