Police officer who executed Besigye arrest is murder suspect - DPP

Kampala Central police Station commander Aaron Baguma directs his team to contain Dr Besigye’s supporters at Kisseka Market yesterday. Left, Mr Baguma's file photo.

The police officer, who commanded and executed the arrest of Dr Kizza Besigye yesterday, faces long overdue arrest for murder, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has said.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Aaron Baguma, the Central Police Station Commander is accused of murder jointly with the Pine Car Depot proprietor Mohammed Ssebuwuufu.

The duo is accused of unlawfully taking the life of Dona Katushabe through torture on October 21, 2015, at Pine car depot on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala before reportedly robbing her of a mobile phone valued at sh300,000. Katusabe bought a car from Ssebuwufu worth sh19m and paid Shs10m cash but had not settled the balance of sh9m.

Speaking to Daily Monitor yesterday, Ms Jane Kajuga Okuo, the DPP spokesperson, said in a telephone interview: “What we are doing is wait for the police to comply. We sent sanctions to police to have Baguma produced and the charge sheet amended so we wait to have him arrested and we proceed to court.”

Ms Okuo said the police had not cooperated with the DPP, an institution the force is constitutionally obliged to work with to dispense justice, since December 2015.

Mr Baguma’s co-accused Ssebuwufu who is currently on remand in Luzira prison, is charged together with Philip Mirambo, a Congolese national; Stephen Lwanga, Godfrey Kayiza and Paul Tasingika.

Mr Mike Chibita, the DPP in an earlier interview with this newspaper, affirmed his office was determined to produce Baguma in court as he is not above the law.

“We have received vital clues from witnesses who had previously feared to reveal information. The same information implicates about five more police officers who were present at CPS during the fateful day when the deceased was killed,” said Mr Chibita. Police spokesman Fred Enanga did not respond to repeated telephone calls from this newspaper and efforts to get his deputy Polly Namaye’s comment on the institution’s non-cooperation with the DPP were futile by press time.

Mr Baguma was again thrust in the spotlight a week ago when police officers petitioned the Inspector General of Government over unfair promotions, citing his own elevation from Assistant Superintendent of Police to Superintendent of Police.

Police promoted Mr Baguma whose name in Runyankore means (unrelenting) and the Hebrew version of Aaron translates into (the exalted one) despite the DPP’s sanction for the alleged murder.

His situation strikes a chord with Ms Jacqueline Uwera, widow of deceased Kampala businessman Juvenal Nsenga, who was convicted and handed a 20-year jail term after protracted ping pong and tug of war between DPP and Police.

At the time, police declined to produce Uwera in court and watered down the DPP’s charge of murder, arguing the convict killed her husband by accident. Uwera, who has since appealed her conviction and sentence, is a cousin of Gen Kayihura’s wife Angella.

Last year, a United Kingdom based psychiatrist Elizabeth Wamala petitioned president Museveni exposing in her diatribe what she called cover up for Mr Andrew Felix Kawesi, the police human resources chief whom she linked to her husband’s gruesome murder in Mutungo a few years ago. The case is yet to see the light of day.