Protestors storm Bukedea police with bodies of suspects who died in detention

Police in Bukedea District in eastern Uganda on Tuesday fired bullets and teargas to disperse protestors who stormed Bukedea central police station with bodies of two suspects who are said to have died under mysterious circumstance during their detention at the station.

The two suspects had been detained following the murder of one Francis Opolot of Kapang parish, Kachumbala Sub County on Christmas Day.

The body of one of the suspects, Michael Ojakol was found hanging in the police cells last Saturday while the other, Joseph Okwalinga died on the same day upon arrival at Mbale regional referral hospital where he had been rushed for medical attention.

Bukedea LC5 chairperson, Mr Moses Olemukan who secured a magistrate’s order for postmortem to be conducted told journalists on Tuesday that the autopsy report had showed that one of the deceased had torture marks, damaged kidneys and spleen while the other had a broken neck, broken spine and that they were both electrocuted.

"I am speaking this with authority.  I have handed the postmortem report to the magistrate," Mr Olemukan.

However, the police spokesperson for east Kyoga police region, Mr Oscar Ageca said the statement by Mr Olemukan can be tagged on him as a person, not police.

Mr Ageca said police would issue an official statement about circumstances under which the two died and their postmortem reports.

“We are going to have a statement as per the findings of the postmortem by the police surgeon who conducted the postmortem,” he said.

The deceased were in police detention awaiting to be produced before the courts of law on charges of murder.