MP detained over UCU student’s killing faces incitement charge

Kassanda South MP Frank Kabuye

What you need to know:

  • The MP and two others were arrested last Thursday over the death of Michael Betungura Bewatte, a Uganda Christian University student.

Police have preferred incitement to violence charges against Kassanda South legislator Frank Kabuye and two others after chaos at Makerere University left one student dead last week.
They were arrested last Thursday night following the death of Michael Betungura Bewatte, a Uganda Christian University (UCU) student, during Makerere University guild presidential campaigns.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga claimed the trio incited violence that led to the killing of Betungura. 

“We are charging the three suspects who were arrested. These include Frank Kabuye, Allan Ssekidde and Muzafaru Kabuulwa, with incitement to violence,” Commissioner of Police Enanga said yesterday at a weekly press briefing in Kampala. 
Bewatte’s postmortem indicated that the deceased was hit with a broken bottle “which caused sharp injury on the right side of the neck” .
“The cause of his death was haemorrhagic shock followed by sharp force trauma,” Mr Enanga said.  

Bewatte took to the washroom to clean himself, but bled profusely before he was taken to the university hospital.
Police are still trying to connect his death to the students’ brigade, which could lead to suspension of students found to have participated in the chaos. 
“Our joint specialist teams are continuing with the investigations and part of which is to examine the possible link to aggressive behaviour from external groups ferried into the campaigns and also violence from student brigades existing within the university,” Mr Enanga said.

Betungura Bewatti. Photo/Courtesy

He said the investigations into the person(s) who hit the deceased with a broken bottle are still ongoing. 
“At least we have a list of more than 12 to 15 external perpetrators of violence. We are also interested in the university brigades. One of the brigades is NorthCote Revolutionary Army and the Rat Guard Brigade,” he said, adding that these brigades are hired during political and social activities in the university.

Police used its CCTV cameras to generate the list of the suspects, who are yet to be arrested.
According to the police investigations, the deceased was part of the NorthCote Revolutionary Army, which supported the Forum for Democratic Change party flag bearer. The group’s rivals were the Rat Guard Brigade, which supported the National Unity Platform candidate.

Another group guarded the National Resistance Movement party candidate.
Mr Enanga said they are planning to dismantle all groups in universities.
Northcote is an old name of Nsibirwa Hall. Before the change of the name, students from Northcote Hall often mobilised groups to fight students from other halls or security personnel. Government later re-branded the hall to stop the violence. 

FDC to probe case
Meanwhile, the Opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has announced their intentions to conduct a private investigation into the death of Michael Bentungura Bewatte parallel to police investigations.
 While addressing the media, the party deputy spokesperson John Kikonyongo yesterday said the party intends to institute private investigators into the matter so that whoever is responsible can be brought to book.

“FDC will not lie down this time, we must get down to the bottom of this issue. We intend to employ private investigators into this matter and whoever is responsible must be brought to book, whether it is a student or an outsider,”Mr Kikonyogo said.
He said private investigations would help them compare with police reports for their satisfaction and conclusion.