Village chairperson, teacher arrested for assaulting police officer on duty
What you need to know:
- Southern Regional Police Spokesperson, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the arrest of the two suspects and stated that investigations are ongoing. He condemned the actions of the village chairperson, stating that attacking a police officer was unacceptable.
Police in Masaka, Central Uganda, have arrested a village chairperson and a teacher for allegedly assaulting a police officer and stealing his gun.
Isma Ssekanjako, 32, the chairperson of Kabagabo Village, and Mansur Ssebaggala, 40, a teacher in Masaka City, are accused of beating a police officer and grabbing his gun. The officer had reportedly arrived at the village to deliver a court order to Ssekanjako.
Preliminary investigations indicate that on January 28, 2025, Paul Kirabira, a police officer attached to Kyanamukkaka Police Station, was attacked by a mob, who then seized his gun. Ssekanjako and others who are still at large, allegedly refused to accept the court order and instead mobilised a mob to assault the officer.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the arrest of the two suspects and stated that investigations are ongoing. He condemned the actions of the village chairperson, stating that attacking a police officer was unacceptable.
“If he [Ssekanjako] didn’t want to receive the court document, he could have insisted on that rather than inciting a mob to attack the police officer,” Kasirye said. “In the process, he also lost his phone, which we are still looking for.”
Kasirye also confirmed that during an operation on Wednesday night, police recovered the gun that had been taken from the officer. He stated that anyone involved in the mob action will be held accountable.
“The cyclist who had transported the officer to the village reported the incident, and police responded quickly to rescue him. A video of the scuffle has been circulating on social media. We are also investigating a land dispute in the area involving the chairperson,” he added.
The duo is currently being held at Masaka Police Station and will face charges of assault and theft of a mobile phone once investigations are concluded. Kasirye thanked the officers who acted professionally during the rescue, noting that lives could have been lost in the scuffle. He warned the public against attacking armed officers.
