Ssebulime's family petitions IGP to arrest Nantaba
What you need to know:
- However, Ssebulime’s family through their lawyer, Mr Muwada Nkunyingi, is demanding the minister’s arrest, saying she is the prime suspect in the case.
- The family dismisses police claims that Nantaba has failed to show up as reckless, which amounts to Police failure to exercise its constitutional mandate as far as criminal justice is concerned.
The family of Ronald Ssebulime, a biker who was shot dead following an assassination alarm by ICT Minister Idah Nantaba, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Martins Oketh-Ochola to arrest her.
Ssebulime was gunned down by police officers on March 24, in Mukono District on suspicion of tracking Ms Nantaba with intentions of harming her. Police officers on patrol arrested Ssebulime, handcuffed him and dumped him on a police patrol van before they pulled him down and shot him dead, according to a police statement released last week.
The officers intervened after Ms Nantaba tipped Nagalama Police Station that two men riding on a grey Suzuki Sports motorcycle registration number UDL 822A were trailing her in a suspicious manner.
Police have since locked up Corporal David Ssali and Police Constables Ronald Opira and Ronald Baganza in connection with the incident.
Ms Nantaba is yet to record a statement after she declined to respond to summons to appear at the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters in Kibuli for questioning, saying she was under instructions from President Yoweri Museveni to stay inside her home.
“In such circumstances, I’m restrained to travel to Kibuli CID headquarters as you requested. But you may in the meantime consider visiting my premises to record the required statement,” part of her letter to CID, read.
On April 1, 2019, Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga told journalists that they had written to the Internal Affairs State Minister, Obiga Kania seeking advice on how to proceed with the matter.
Mr Kania responded saying that Nantaba’s statement was critical to the investigation and his ministry would soon advise on how to get it.
However, Ssebulime’s family through their lawyer, Mr Muwada Nkunyingi, is demanding the minister’s arrest, saying she is the prime suspect in the case. The family dismisses police claims that Nantaba has failed to show up as reckless, which amounts to Police failure to exercise its constitutional mandate as far as criminal justice is concerned.
“We remind you that your powers as IGP are statutory and should be legally exercised. We refuse, reject and dismiss the police position, contained in a press statement released by police spokesperson on April 1, 2019 of first consulting the line minister upon refusal by Hon Idah Nantaba to respond to police summons,” Nkunyingi said in his statement.
He said that in the past, several ministers have been arrested and charged in courts of laws arguing that there should be no reason as to why Ms Nantaba should be exempted.
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga couldn’t be reached for comment as he would neither pick nor return our calls.
