Two arrested over trying to poison inmate at Makindye military prison

Two people have been arrested by the army after being found in possession of poison that is suspected to have been intended for an inmate at the Makindye military barracks, The Nile Post has exclusively learnt.

According to a security source who asked to remain anonymous, the incident happened over two weeks ago when the wife and son to Abdulnul Ssemuju alias Minana, an inmate, were caught with poison that they had laced in a groundnut paste commonly known as ‘Oddi’ or 'Kipooli.'

The procedure at Makindye barracks is that when one brings eats for inmates, they are asked to first taste it to rule out any foul play.

But in Minana's wife's case, she reportedly refused to taste the paste.

“When they came, officers asked Minana’s wife to taste what she had brought and she refused. The military police officers became suspicious and on examination of the paste, they discovered that it was laced with  poison” the source told this website.

It is also said that authorities fear that some of the senior police officers arrested last year and detained by the military at Makindye could also be targeted and have since put in place stringent measures to avert any incident.

“Drinks like milk and juice are no longer allowed whereas Minana is currently confined in a separate room where he cannot be accessed by fellow inmates,” the source added.

army spokesperson, Brig.Richard Karemire said he did not know about the incident.

“No, I don’t know about that,” Brig. Karemire told this website.

Case against Minana

Minana, 60, was arrested last year together with the former police commander in charge of the Special Investigations Unit, Senior Superintendent of Police Nixon Agasiirwe Karuhanga of kidnap.

He was working with police in an unstructured arrangement.

Prosecution alleges that the duo on August 13, 2017 at Lukooli village in Luweero district kidnapped one Vincent Kaliisa before repatriating him back to Rwanda without his consent.

“While armed with fire arms and grenades ordinarily a preserve of the armed forces repatriated Kaliisa back to Rwanda contrary to section 239 and 242 of the Penal Code act,” the charge sheet reads.