Another NUP supporter narrates torture ordeal

Mr Harunah Lukyamuzi, a resident of Ndejje - Masitoowa in Makindye Saabagabo Division, Kampala City lives in trauma and distress after allegedly being abducted and tortured by armed police officers in April  this year

During a press conference at NUP headquarters in Kamwokya on Tuesday, Mr Lukyamuzi claimed that the reason for his abduction and torture was because of his support for the opposition National Unity Platform.

Mr Lukyamuzi, an electrician in Kampala, contends that on April 12 at around 2:30pm, as he was seated at Masitowa trending centre, he received a phone call from Katwe police station inviting him to work on their electricity.

“They told me that they had a fault with their electricity and they wanted me to rectify it. Without fail, I rushed there but upon reaching, they grabbed me and put me on a police truck with four others without telling me anything,” he narrated.

“They later released the other four and I remained on the police truck alone. They drove me to my residence, searched my house where they picked my NUP Beret, phone contacts and my passport,” he added.

Mr Lukyamuzi further added when he asked the officers about the crime he had committed, he was told that he has a criminal group he leads, which he denied.

On April 14, Lukyamuzi was taken to Crime Intelligence (CI) headquarters in Kololo.

“At around 2.00am, they came for me and started torturing me while questioning my position in the NUP. When I said that I am just a supporter, and then they said ‘So, you want to remove the president, are you the one who voted him in, let us beat you and show you that we are the ones with powers,” he narrated.

On April 28, Lukyamuzi was taken to Chieftaincy Military Intelligence (CMI) Kireka and later back to CI headquarters on May 10. This was done severally amidst interrogations until June 6.

“Investigations officer at CI called me and asked the reason for my arrest, I replied that I didn’t know and he moved out to consult his colleagues. After some time, he came back and told me that there was a file indicating ‘simple robbery’. When I asked for the file to have a look, he told me that the file was available but I’m among the others in this case. I wondered how I became among others,” he narrated, adding that he was later charged with the case of attempting to burn a police vehicle.

On June 7, Lukyamuzi says was sent to Makindye court which remanded him to Luzira Prison and released after a few days.

Police say

Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Spokesperson, said Lukyamuzi was arrested on charges of incitement to violence.

“It is on record that he was in Police custody, in case he alleges that through the interrogation process he was tortured, he has the right to lodge his complaint to the Human Rights Commission for the allegations to be investigated,” he added.

NUP speaks out

Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the leader of the National Unity Platform party, condemned the illegal arrest and abduction of people based on their political affiliations.

“We saw the illegal raid on Sheikh Kamoga’s residence where people were tortured and intimidated on camera. What you saw there is what happens to other homes but because they have no cameras you won’t know,” he said.

Lukyamuzi is not the first NUP supporter to complain about illegal detention and torture. Government agencies have always refuted the allegation as baseless.