PM Nabbanja’s military assistant arrested over drawing gun on police officer

The military assistant to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has been arrested and detained on allegations of putting a police officer, who had responded to a traffic accident in which the senior military officer was involved, at gunpoint before assaulting him. 

Colonel Peter Oscar Ajoket has been detained at Kawempe Police Station since last Saturday for allegedly assaulting Police Constable (PC) Stanley Masembe, who had responded to a traffic incident at Bwaise on Northern Bypass after 8pm  on that day.

Police sources, who preferred anonymity because they are not authorised to talk to the press, said the senior military officer is being held on a criminal case of assaulting a police officer and a traffic offence of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman Patrick Onyango declined to comment on the case, but said it had been forwarded to police headquarters since it involves a senior military officer. 

Police spokesman Fred Enanga said he had not yet got a report from the director of traffic and road safety. 

The army spokesperson said the officer is attached to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and it would be better to get a comment from them.

Mr Charles Odongtho, the spokesman of the OPM, confirmed that the officer is attached to their office, but he wasn’t privy to the incident and needed to verify it first to give an informed statement.

Accounts
According to sources, Colonel Ajoket was driving a Toyota Hilux, registration number UG 0859Z, and got involved in a minor road accident with a civilian driving a Toyota Kluger, registration number UBB 430X.

PC Masembe was dispatched to the scene to establish the cause of the accident.  It is alleged that when he reached there, PC Masembe asked the two drivers to remain at the scene to allow the police investigate, but the colonel allegedly attempted to drive away, which prompted him to intercept him using his motor vehicle. 

A source said the colonel allegedly removed his pistol and cocked it before putting PC Masembe at gunpoint. Then Colonel Ajoket allegedly started beating up PC Masembe. As PC Masembe pleaded for his life, police dispatched reinforcements on a patrol car that arrived at the scene.  
The source said armed police officers on the patrol vehicle first calmed down the colonel not to put their colleague at gunpoint, which he obliged. 

As soon as their colleague gained his freedom, the police officers disarmed the colonel and arrested him.  However, after his detention, several security officers have been attempting to bond him out, which has angered some junior police officers at Kawempe Police Station.