DPP directs court on torture claims by NUP coordinator
Moses Bigirwa (left) and Pidson Kareire at the Buganda Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala November 11. PHOTO/BETTY NDAGIRE
What you need to know:
- Justice Abodo said her office received a complaint from Mr Bigirwa, accusing the police and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) of torture.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Justice Jane Frances Abodo, has directed the Resident State Attorney at Buganda Road to draft a response in regard to torture claims raised by Mr Moses Bigirwa, the coordinator of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party in eastern region.
Justice Abodo said her office received a complaint from Mr Bigirwa, accusing the police and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) of torture.
“I am in receipt of the complaints from TAK Advocates, Sanywa Wabwire and Semengo Advocates. Please draft a response to the above complaints,” Justice Abodo’s November 26 letter reads in part.
Mr Birigwa, who is accused of attempting to extort Shs100m from the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, claims upon his arrest and detention at Kibuli Police Station on November 5, he was handed over to CMI where he was subjected to torture and degrading treatment.
“He was later at around 5pm picked up by unknown men driving a Toyota drone and whisked to unlawful detention centre where he was tortured and subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment to wit being subjected to high voltage electric shock, sleeping in cold water for lengthy hours, among others, at the hands of Uganda Police officers that handed him over to these unknown persons,” his lawyers claim.
Mr Birigwa wants the DPP to carry out investigations into the conduct of the police officers who arrested him.
“Article 120 (3) (a) of the Constitution as amended empowers the DPP to direct the police to investigate any information of a criminal nature and to report to him or her expeditiously,” the petition reads.
Mr Bigirwa was on November 11 arraigned before Buganda Road Court and charged in connection with allegedly attempting to defraud Ms Among, a charge he denies, and was remanded to Kitalya prison.
Mr Bigirwa was charged jointly with Francis Matovu, alias Bbutto, a city property dealer and journalist Pedson Kareire.
The trio face charges of offensive communication, criminal libel and demanding money with menaces.
However, he claims the charges are trumped up and he is not the author of the documents implicating the Deputy Speaker.
