Policeman hospitalized after being assaulted by UPDF officer in Masaka bar

Police in Masaka District are holding a soldier attached to Kasijagirwa Armoured Brigade for assaulting a police officer who had been deployed to enforce curfew on Friday night. 

The suspect, Pte Reagan Kagumaho together with other people were reportedly found boozing at a local drinking joint located at Ssaza Trading Centre in Masaka City during curfew hours before he assaulted a security colleague. 

Preliminary police investigations indicate that Mr Richard Ochaya, a police officer attached to Ssaza Police Post was injured in a scuffle as police attempted to disperse Pte Kagumaho and his colleagues.

According to the southern regional police spokesperson Muhammad Nsubuga, Kagumaho became errant and assaulted Ochaya who was enforcing lawful orders which prompted him to call his colleagues who swiftly came to his rescue and fired bullets in the  air to disperse the group. 

“No one is above the law. He [Kagumaho] is going to face charges of assault and disobedience of lawful orders. This was an officer [Ochaya] on a foot patrol who was enforcing curfew guidelines and moreover bars are not supposed to operate,” he added.

Mr Nsubuga said Ochaya is currently hospitalized at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital as investigations into the matter goes on.

However, unconfirmed reports indicate that Kagumaho and Ochaya had earlier had a fight over a waitress at the bar and in the process, the latter was injured before calling his colleagues to rescue him. 

Residents said they were shocked to hear gunshots in the night and they were surprised to learn later that the bullets were fired by officers who were involved in a bar brawl.

Mr Nsubuga, however, dismissed as baseless reports that both the soldier and policeman were fighting over a woman. 

Locals claim that although bars are not yet cleared to operate, several drinking joints in the area are operating and security officers flock them during evening hours to take booze. 

Mr James Mugisha, a resident of Ssaza Trading Centre said they fear that some security personnel could be conniving with robbers who terrorize the area during curfew hours since they spend most of their time at drinking joints during the night and sometimes past curfew hours.

“This is one of the few cases including men in uniform who violate curfew guidelines. They tell us to follow lawful orders but they are openly violating them,” he said.