Police admit detaining Besigye lawyer reported abducted

Police in Kampala have said they are holding one of the lawyers of veteran opposition stalwart, Dr Kizza Besigye, hours after reports emerged that he had been abducted by men in army uniform in the wee hours of Tuesday morning ahead of the four-time presidential contender’s appearance at the General Court Martial.
 Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango said Ronald Iduuli, a 50-year-old retired UPDF Major was detained on charges of threatening violence.

“On December 10, 2024, at approximately 9am, police in Wakiso received a report from Lydia Kabira, a 44-year-old nurse and resident of Kireka-Bbira village, regarding a case of threatening violence by one of her tenants. According to the complainant, the suspect, identified as Ronald Iduuli, a 50-year-old lawyer, had been renting a house from her for three years. However, he had defaulted on rent payments for the past 10 months. Recently, the suspect began appearing in UPDF uniform and threatening the landlord, prompting her to become suspicious,” Mr Onyango said.
According to him, the operation to arrest Iduuli was jointly conducted by police and UPDF officers.

“A search of his residence uncovered several items, including a pair of UPDF digital uniforms, a handbook on the law of war for armed forces, a certificate of discharge from UPDF dated 2016, and a pen labeled "People's Front for Freedom," Mr Onyango added in a statement. 
He is currently detained at Bulenga Police Station as inquiries into the case continue.
The development comes hours after Uganda Law Society (ULS) issued a statement condemning the "abduction of Maj (rtd) Ronald Iduuli, a prominent lawyer" and member of their society.

"The brazen invasion of Iduuli's home in Bulenga, Wakiso District, at 4am is a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence our member, and by extension, the entire legal profession. We will not be cowed. We demand that the authorities take immediate action to ensure Iduuli's safe release and bring the perpetrators to justice. We call upon the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the UPDF authorities, in particular, to investigate this matter thoroughly and provide us with a detailed report," reads part of the statement signed by the ULS president Isaac Ssemakadde.

Maj (rtd) Iduuli joined UPDF in 1998 and served as a defense lawyer at the General Court Martial from 2014 to July 25, 2016 before he was forcefully retired from the army in the same year.