Police record statements in Ssali brawl with lawyer

An officer has recorded a statement in a case where detectives are investigating reports that Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary, Geraldine Ssali was involved in a brawl with the Ministry’s legal officer, Ms Sandra Aneno Karen.

Aneno at the weekend is said to have reported the matter at Kampala Central Police Station, saying she had been assaulted.

The incident occurred on April 5, 2024 on the third floor of the Ministry’s offices at Farmers’ House in Kampala.

Ms Ssali later interdicted Aneno, accusing her of “gross unbecoming behaviour such as using abusive language against me, assaulting, threatening me, throwing items at me and insubordination which is irregular for a public officer of your calibre.”

A day after the incident was reported to police, a police officer attached to the Very Important Persons Protection Unit (VIPPU) also recorded a statement.

In his April 5 police statement, 25-year-old Gerald Oonyu, who is also the principal bodyguard of Ms Ssali, said upon arrival at the ministry last Friday, her boss started visiting different offices.

“We started from the basement to the ground floor where the cooperatives offices are and eventually on the third floor where we went to the office of Mr Kasirye Julius, the Senior Commercial Officer for the ministry. Upon reaching there, we met the senior legal officer, Ms Sandra Aneno, and the PS greeted her and informed her that they should leave that office and be allocated somewhere else…,” reads in part the police statement of officer Oonyu.

Adding: “Ms Aneno started fuming seriously and loudly to the PS while seated but when I saw her standing up... I rushed very fast and intervened and in the process, I got out madam Aneno... and I had to push her since I had suspected danger towards my principal. That is my principle role to see her safe.”

However,  it was reported that Aneno claimed in her report to police that as soon as she occupied the new office, Ms Ssali, who was followed closely by her armed male bodyguard, stormed the office ordering the senior lawyer to vacate it in the next one hour because she (Ssali) needed the office.

Following the incident that made rounds on social media, the ministry yesterday issued a statement on the matter.

The senior human resource officer, Ms Victoria Nansikombi, indicated that appropriate action has been taken.

“Management has been drawn to media reports about an incident that occurred on April 5 regarding an errant officer at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives. The background to this matter is that management decided to optimise work space and allocate sufficient space for the incoming Minister of State for Trade and his staffers,” reads the April 8 letter signed by Ms Nansikombi.

Adding: “The PS leading a team made several visits to all floors of Farmers House to reorganise the additional space for the purpose. A total of six offices were identified as part of this reorganisation where some were being painted over the weekend, others were made empty with records having to be shifted off-site, and others with ministry staff had to be relocated to other offices to create additional space. These included all support staff like drivers, security personnel, cleaners, and some ministry staff.”

The letter added that all the staff affected complied without any challenges, except Ms Aneno.

“Ms Aneno’s unnecessary aggression caused the security team of the Permanent Secretary and that of the ministry to restrain her from getting physical while unfortunately continuing to shout and insult the team head amid the presence of colleagues,” the statement further read.

According to the human resource officer, management later resolved to interdict the Ms Aneno and have the matter comprehensively investigated.

[email protected]