MPs accusing us of torturing suspects are ignorant -  ISO boss Col Kaka

The Internal Security Organisation Director General, Col.Kaka has said Members of Parliament accusing the security organ of torturing suspects are just ignorant and that he can’t waste his time on them.

MPs led by Latif Sebaggala (Kawempe North Division) and his Arua Municipality counterpart, Kassiano Wadri a few weeks ago raised a matter of national importance that ISO is running safe houses in ungazetted places where some Ugandans are reportedly kept and tortured.

Some of the alleged victims of torture later appeared before the parliamentary committee on Human Rights and narrated harrowing tales.

However, according to the Col.Kaka the security agency cannot be involved in the torture of suspects as it is alleged.

“In the bush war, I was the intelligence officer of the mobile brigade that captured Kampala but I never tortured anyone. They can vilify me but I want witnesses to come and pin me on torturing them,” Kaka said.

“Torturing suspects is not part of our standard operating procedures and in fact, if it was so, I would have started with Sobbi(Paddy Sserunjogi).”

Ignorant MPs

The Internal Security Organisation said legislators are ill-informed of what happens, adding that they will always peddle baseless lies but noted that time will be the best judge.

Col.Kaka insisted that most of the suspects who claim to have been tortured are being paraded by a section of politicians to achieve their own motives but noted this will not derail him in ensuring security of the country.

“Some politicians (MPs) are ignorant because it is not their professional area. They therefore, should not pretend to know more than we do.”

Quoting President Museveni’s letter to all security agencies against torture, the ISO chief said when a suspect is tortured, he can’t give you the right information that you need.

“When you do that (torture), you will not get the truth but complete lies from the suspects. In fact, a determined enemy cannot give you the information you need after torturing them.”

On safe houses

Over a week ago, Members of Parliament were blocked from accessing a safe house in Kyengera, which is allegedly being to torture suspects.

The ISO chief admitted that the security organ operates some safe houses but noted that they are for keeping suspects safe but not torturing them.

“The other day they went to see safe houses, did they see them? If they had come through us, we would have shown them where they (safe houses) are,” Col.Kaka said.

He noted that some of their officers could have tortured suspects but insisted it is not the security organ’s practice.

“There could be incidents where our officers would have acted irrationally and we shall investigate that."

https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/09/05/gen-tumwine-safe-houses-are-not-used-for-torture/