Police hunt for gunmen accused of gang raping city medic

Police and health officials say they have taken statements and blood samples from an apartment in a Kampala suburb where a medical doctor was reportedly gang-raped by yet-to-be identified armed men on Boxing Day.

According to a police officer who declined to disclose his identity so as to speak freely, told reporters that police investigators on Wednesday morning dispatched a team of crime intelligence detectives to the home of the doctor whose identity has also been withheld for her protection, where the rape is alleged to have taken place. This was done in order to collect samples to assist with the investigation into the alleged rape by armed men in uniform similar to those of the Uganda armed forces.

"When we went there, it seemed the person was living alone and was telling lies because the aunt who came here said she was supposed to be in Butabika for treatment but chose not to go," he said.

When asked what kind of investigations they are carrying out and whether they have suspects in their custody, the police officer said that the Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Luke Oweysigirye gave explicit instructions not to speak to the press about what happened because they cannot share with the public what transpired because this is a rape victim who needs protection.

"If the victim has not spoken about the incident to you, I will not tell you anything about it. I cannot divulge anything about a raped person unless she lets me," he said.

During Boxing Day night, the victim (name withheld) says she was attacked by men dressed in army uniforms who took turns sexually assaulting her, according to a source who tipped this publication.

After reporting to a local police station, detectives began investigating. She was briefly admitted to a nearby government health center for medical examinations and later released.

A guard at the rented apartment confirmed to this publication that police visited the scene on Wednesday and conducted investigations into the alleged rape, including recording his statement.

Upon being asked what he witnessed, he said that the doctor came into her house on Tuesday evening with two elderly men, with whom she had several drinks. She started shouting at around 10 pm like a mentally deranged person, claiming that some people were stalking her and trying to kill her.

Anne, a neighbor who identified herself only as Anne, confirmed the shouting. She said when she woke up early on Wednesday morning she heard a female voice shouting and it seemed like the person was either bereaved or in pain. However, she did not pay much attention since the person was moving to get help while crying.

According to the officer in charge of the health center, he examined two cases of alleged rape on Wednesday, one involving a woman in her mid-20s and one involving a teenage "lesbian couple" 15 and 16.

According to a psychiatrist who examined the doctor, she had been traumatized by the rape, had bruises on her private parts, and had lost her hymen. Although she did not have HIV/AIDS, post-exposure prophylaxis was prescribed.