Court orders army to produce Kayihura’s aide dead or alive
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The Civil
Division of the High Court in Kampala has ordered the Uganda People’s Defence
Forces to produce missing National
Youth Treasurer for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and also a former
aide to former Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura dead or alive.
Enock Buntu, reportedly went missing on July 9
after he was picked from his home in Mbalwa zone, Namugongo in Wakiso district
prompting his brother to petition court over his disappearance.
On Wednesday, Justice Lydia Mugambe issued a habeas corpus in
which she tasked the army through the Chief of Defence Forces and the Attorney
General to produce Buntu dead or alive.
“It is hereby ordered that a writ of habeas corpus is issued to
the Chief of Defence Forces to have the body of Enock Buntu produced before Justice
Lydia Mugambe at Civil Division of the High Court on the 22nd day of
January 2019 to show cause why he should not be released,” the order issued on
December 19 reads in part.
In August, family members said a group of seven armed men who
picked Buntu at around 5 am ordered him to surrender his phones and searched his
house before driving off with him to an unknown destination.
In their habeas corpus application, Buntu’s brother said they
later learnt that he had been taken to the Makindye Military barracks adding
that he is still detained at the facility on allegations of being found in
possession of a fire arm.
“Since his arrest,
Buntu’s relatives have made necessary efforts to have him released on police
bond but all efforts have not successful without any lawful justification,”
said John Agaba in his habeas corpus application received by the court on
October 25.
“The respondent
(government) and/ or his agents have no reasonable excuse for the continued
detention of the applicant.He has since detention been deprived of his personal
liberty in a manner contrary to the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda yet
he has children below 12 years to look after.”
Following
Kayihura’s arrest earlier this year, a number of senior police
officers thought to be his cronies were also arrested by the army and detained
at Makindye barracks over unknown charges.
