Let the law, and not security  forces, deal with suspects

After being held for about a week, suspects in the recent assassination attempt of Gen Katumba Wamala were produced before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

The five suspects in the June 1 shootings that claimed the lives of the Works and Transport minister’s daughter, Brenda Nantongo, and driver Haruna Kayondo, limped into the courtroom before stripping during a 10-minute break and displaying what they say were torture marks.

They bore wounds on their hands, legs, neck, back and buttocks which they say were inflicted on them to extract a confession. They say they endured the breaking of their fingers, nailing and piecing of their bodies.

The suspects in the case include Hussein Ismael Sserubula, alias Imamu Muto, 38, a boda boda cyclist; Yusuf Nyanzi, 46, a herbalist; Muhammad Kagugube, alias Musiramu, 39, a boda boda rider; Kamada Walusimbi, alias Mudinka, 45, a boda boda rider; Siriman Ayuub Kisambira, alias Mukwasi Koja, 42; Abdulaziz Ramanthan Dunku, 46, a tailor; and Habib Ramanthan Marjan, 50, a religious teacher.
Last week, the security forces received praise from a section of Ugandans after the Deputy Inspector General of Police (IGP), Maj Gen Paul Lokech, recounted to the media how the suspects were apprehended in a swift and clinical operation.

But the praise slowly turned into worry as it emerged that at least four suspects were shot dead during the operations. 
And the fear seems to be justified because the security forces are so far following the same old playbook where they arrest suspects, hold them incommunicado for several days or weeks, and sometimes months, before producing them before court with torture marks, and re-arrest them in case they are released on bail.

Gen Katumba, his family and that of his driver deserve justice. Ugandans need answers to who has been behind these high-profile killings. We are happy we have some suspects in custody because it takes us a step closer to the truth, but torturing them only complicates the case as confessions obtained after torture, beating, violence and other unlawful acts are inadmissible in courts of law.

Guilty as they might appear, its only court that has the right to determine – after a fair hearing – whether they are guilty or not. And even as suspects, the accused have rights and freedoms that are inherent and not granted by the State as stipulated under Article 20 of the Constitution.

The security forces have done their part in collecting evidence and arresting the suspects. However, they should do so within the law and give chance to the courts to determine who is responsible for the recent killings.