Police question MP Zaake for seven hours over treason
Mityana municipality MP Francis Zaake. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- The 27-year-old lawmaker was supported on clutches as he walked from the car that delivered him to the CID offices to the room where he was questioned.
KAMPALA. Mityana municipality MP Francis Zaake was Monday questioned by police in a seven hour session that he said provided him with an opportunity to gather more evidence against the State on his own torture.
Mr Zaake was quizzed over alleged treason and escape from lawful custody at Arua Central Police Station in northern Uganda on August 13 where he had been detained following chaos on the last day of Arua municipality MP by-election which Kasiano Wadri won replacing slain NRM MP Ibrahim Abiriga.
“Of course my coming here was just to abide by the directives because I obey the laws. The cases they have against me are all bogus, intended to intimidate me and waste of valuable time,” Mr Zaake said.
To him, however, what police officially regarded as an investigation provided him with an opportunity to gather information from police on why they tortured him and dumped him at Lubaga hospital.
Mr Zaake claims he was tortured by elements of the elite Special Forces Command whom he says pulled his genitals using pliers, scissors and other sharp objects before he became unconscious.
“We are in a rigorous activity of gathering evidence against the people who tortured me. Whatever they say before us is an addition to our own investigations against them,” Mr Zaake said.
He arrived at the Kibuli based Criminal Investigation Department at 9am in the company of Kawempe South MP Latif Ssebaggala, lawyers Nicholas Opiyo and Joseph Luzige who were later joined by Ndorwa MP Wilfred Niwagaba, EALA MP Mukasa Mbidde and Kawempe councillor Mohammed Ssegirinya.
Zaake was released on bond and ordered to report back to CID on December 5, 2018.
He is expected to be added on the charge sheet of 34 other opposition politicians and activists, including Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi who are accused of treason.
“They got me from a hotel room, beat me up before dumping me at Lubaga hospital. That’s all I know and is what I told them. Things to do with treason is not my business, let them grapple with their own creations,” Zaake said.
The 27-year-old lawmaker was supported on clutches as he walked from the car that delivered him to the CID offices to the room where he was questioned.
“There is steady improvement save for the neck and back pain. I can now stand by myself although for shorter period of time,” he said.
