Police bosses contradict each other over release of confessed criminals
Paddy Sserunjogi alias Ssobi, an Internal Security Organisation informer
What you need to know:
- The two institutions clashed at the home of a woman claiming to be Kaweesi’s friend was being detained by ISO operatives.
- Mr Sserunjogi and two of his colleagues were arrested by the police on Monday on allegations they made on television that they participated in killing of people.
KAMPALA. Police bosses have contradicted themselves on whether the three men arrested for confessing to be killers and robbers in the country have been released or not.
The police spokesperson, Mr Emilian Kayima, on Wednesday said Mr Paddy Sserunjogi alias Ssobi, an Internal Security Organisation informer and two of his colleagues had been released on police bond and he would appear at the Department of Criminal Investigations in Kampala Metropolitan Police headquarters on Friday.
But the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, told a parliamentary committee later that the trio had just been handed over to Internal Security Organisation (ISO) that is still investigating them on other criminal cases.
“On the contrary, we collaborate as agencies. We just handed him over to ISO because they are carrying out some intelligence operations. So they asked us to hand to them [ISO],” Gen Kayihura said on Wednesday.
Mr Sserunjogi and two of his colleagues were arrested by the police on Monday on allegations they made on television that they participated in killing of people. The suspects also claimed to have worked with police officers in the commission of the crimes.
However, sources close to Kampala Metropolitan Police confirmed that the trio were indeed released after pressure from the ISO leadership.
This is the second time police and ISO are clashing over management of criminal cases since the death of police spokesman Andrew Felix Kaweesi in March last year.
The two institutions clashed at the home of a woman claiming to be Kaweesi’s friend was being detained by ISO operatives. The two institutions were ordered to leave the area for a neutral force to take charge.
Efforts to get a comment from ISO boss, Mr Kaka Bagyenda, was futile because our calls went unanswered.
Gen Kayihura said Mr Sserunjogi is a convicted criminal and still has a range of cases that he is still being investigated.
“The glorious UPDF is not involved and therefore I can’t offer any comment,” army spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, said.
