Police officers threatening witnesses over testifying against Kirumira

A witness has said that his fellow witnesses have received threats from various people including police officers over testifying against former Old Kampala DPC Muhammad Kirumira.

On Thursday, Kirumira appeared before the police disciplinary court for hearing of the case in which he is accused of several offences including torture, corruption and extortion among others.

When he took to the dock, Hassan Kayongo who testified earlier told the court chaired by Senior Commissioner of Police Denis Odongpiny that following the earlier session in which a number of witnesses pinned the former Buyende and Old Kampala DPC, their photos were published by the media attracting a backlash against them.

“The three witnesses who were supposed to come to court today including Peace Kyalisiima, Moses Byamukama and one Hamza refused because they were threatened by police officers and community leaders,”Kayongo told court.

“They feared to come and testify for fear of being published in the media.”

He named the police officer in charge of a police post in Kisenyi taxi park police post as among those who threatened the would be witnesses against Kirumira.

The police prosecutor, Senior Superintendent of Police Catherine Kusemereire asked court that the trial for Kirumira be conducted in camera where the media is barred from being present in the police court.

However, in response, the accused (Kirumira) accused the prosecutor of being behind the appearance of media by leaking the proceedings when he first appeared in court and the charges were read to him.

“I did not invite the media but it is her (Kusemereire) who broke the story of my charging to the media,”Kirumira told court.

The court chairman Denis Odongpiny adjourned the matter to next week so as to be able to rule on the application by the prosecutor to have media barred from attending the Kirumira case proceedings.

Kirumira was last week arrested over statements made to the media in regards to his resignation from the police force and accusations against fellow police officers.