VIDEO: SFC trainee punched, hospitalised
KAMPALA- Juma Muhindo, a Special Forces Command (SFC) soldier who was allegedly punched by an SFC instructor, is now admitted to Nakasero Hospital in Kampala.
The blow, which caught Muhindo off guard, threw him to the ground where he landed back first on a stone.
His wife, Shamila Kabuho, 29, told Daily Monitor as a result of the crushing punch, Muhindo injured his spinal cord and suffered an erectile dysfunction.
Lance Corporal Muhindo, 31, now wants to meet President Museveni, the commander–in–chief, to tell him about his ordeal. He also wants Mr George Alitema, who allegedly punched him at the School of Paratroopers in Nakasongola, 140 kilometres north of Kampala, reprimanded.
Muhindo says his plea to SFC officials to investigate the matter has been ignored.
“The officers said I would recover,” a teary Muhindo said.
When contacted last Saturday about the matter, SFC spokesperson Chris Magezi said he is not aware of the incident.
“What does he (Muhindo) mean he was hit? Did it happen during training? Does he think it was malicious? What does he exactly want?” Capt Magezi asked.
The SFC publicist said the command would investigate the matter but gave no timeline. He, however, added that the kind of training Muhindo was undergoing is tough.
“Training to be a commando is not a walk in the park. You can get hurt or even killed,” Capt Magezi said.
The training, according to Capt Magezi, involves punching and kungfu, an unarmed form of Chinese martial arts.
He said during training, some trainees get injured due to failure to follow instructions.
However, Muhindo says during one of the training sessions, Mr Alitema allegedly told the trainees to run via one of the range boards, which they did.
Training gone bad
The instructor then reportedly gripped the neck of one of the trainees for 30 seconds before attempting to punch another who shielded himself with a rifle. Alitema then turned to Muhindo and punched him in the chest. That was in August 2015. Muhindo was immediately moved from Nakasongola to Bombo General Military Hospital in Luweero District for treatment.
Later, in November, he was referred to Mulago Hospital in Kampala. To support himself, Muhindo uses a corset belt and crutches and moves in a wheelchair.
“I want the instructor to be punished,” Muhindo said.
“He should come and nurse me. I could die anytime,” he added.
