Police officers seen in video torturing youth over People Power arrested

Police have arrested some of their own officers for assaulting a suspect over Bobi Wine's 'People Power' t-shirt.

A phone video recorded by an unknown person on Thursday prior to MP Robert Kyagulanyi's return from the US showed police officers at Kajjansi police station beating, slapping and kicking an unidentified man allegedly arrested for putting on a red ‘People power’ T-shirt.

Despite crying out loud and pleading for mercy, the police officers are seen continuing with brutality on the suspect who was on handcuffs.

“Who told you people power is real power? Do you see people power here,” one police officer said.

However, according to the deputy police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, four officers including; Samuel Wangubo, Denis Oguma, James Kayenga and Denis Namugongo all attached to Kajjansi police station have been arrested and detained at the same station.

"They are currently held for discreditable conduct as investigations continue,"Onyango said.

A number of people especially on social media have since the video went viral have been furious over police’s continued brutality against members of the public.

One Godfrey Mubuuke wondered whether it was a crime for having a feeling for Kyagulanyi’s ‘people power’.

“IGP Ochola, this spectacle is bad for the force you lead and citizens demand that torture should never happen,”Mubuuke added.

Daniel Outeke said the police are now taking the law into their hands which he noted is very bad.

“This is heart breaking. And to think that we agonise ourselves on their ridiculous pay and wish for better yet they themselves content with hate and brutality against the civilians,”Outeke said.

The police spokesperson Emilian Kayima on Friday said the force had taken note of an unacceptable manner by their officers and had opened investigations into the incident.

"These acts are not institutionalised, but individual acts that have no place in the Uganda Police Force. This is why all individuals involved will be investigated and penalised in accordance with the law. Justice will be done,”Kayima said in a statement.

The incident came barely two months after the Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola warned police officers against torturing suspects.

“I want you to wake up from slumber and we renew the force. We are not going to tolerate officers who abuse rights of suspects,” Ochola warned while passing out CID officers at Kabalye police training school in Masindi district last month.