Government ordered to pay shs170M for squeezing Ingrid Turinawe’s breasts
The High Court in Kampala has ordered government to compensate Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) secretary for mobilization, Ingrid Turinawe to a tune of shs170 million for violating her rights when her breasts were squeezed by police officers.
The incident happened in 2012 when police arrested the FDC iron lady as she proceeded for a rally in Nansana as part of their activities as For God and my Country (4GC) pressure group.
Videos of Turinawe in excruciating pain while police officers squeezed her breasts during the arrest were aired by most televisions prompting her to drag government to court.
In her judgment on Thursday, Justice Margret Oumo Oguli ruled that Turinawe was tortured and humiliated by police officers during the arrest saying that she deserves compensation for the damages caused to her.
“The shs170 million will atone for your violated rights to assemble since you were arrested going to attend a rally,” Oguli ruled.
On top of the shs300 million she had asked as damages, the FDC iron lady had also asked court for compensation for her damaged vehicle.
The judge however declined to grant the shs300 million but said Turinawe can only be compensated to a tune of shs170 million saying the former figure was excessive.
Oguli declined to compensate Turinawe for her damaged vehicle saying there was no evidence to show damage caused to it.
The FDC iron lady who was on her way to attend a rally was arrested by police commanded by the then Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Andrew Felix Kaweesi
Turinawe through her lawyer, Ladislaus Rwakafuzi sued Kaweesi and the Attorney General for being sexually harassed when police officers squeezed her breasts.
The FDC iron lady told court that on the fateful day of April 12, 2012, as she was driving to Nansana town council to attend a political rally, she was intercepted by police and in the process of arguing, a male police officer grabbed her breast and squeezed it.
She asked court to pay her for damages over the brutal action by police which embarrassed her before a number of people including her relatives, children and husband.
