Man threatens to sue Ochola over Police failure to investigate shooting of colleague

A man has written to the Inspector General of Police, John Martins Okoth Ochola threatening to drag him to court for failure to ensure the force he commands investigates a case in which a colleague was shot dead by private security guards over a land matter.

In a February 14 letter to Ochola and copied to the CID Director, KMP commandant and the Internal Affairs Ministry,  Owen Kibirige says on the fateful day on January 4, 2020, while working as porters and mansions on a building at Kito-Kira , Kira Municipality in Wakiso district gunshots were fired aimlessly at them.

“Gunshots were fired at whoever was nearby and in the process, Byaka Ashraf was shot dead and scores serious injured/maimed including myself after being shot in the leg and groin,”Kibirige says in his letter of intention to sue through his lawyers of Kikomeko, Kayiira and Company Advocates.

Kibirige says that the information they got was that the operation was carried out by private guards from Start Corps Security, 7GS security and another group of “goons” in the company of a lady identified as Winnie Tugume.

He says that shortly after the incident, Police officers led by Maliserino Mulema , the OC CID at Kira Division Police Station visited the scene, found the private guards armed with guns but joined them in chasing away those who had come to rescue the injured ones.

“No efforts were done by Police to arrest or bring to book the private security guards and other unidentified goons who had in broad daylight shot dead Byaka and injured scores including myself,” he avers.

He says the matter was formerly reported to Kira Division Police where a general inquiry file was opened up to investigate the murder and the circumstances leading to the shooting but nothing has come to life since then.

“No statement has ever been recorded from the private security guards from Start Corps Security and 7GS Security who shot at the innocent Ugandans. Our clients have expressed their dissatisfaction to you before, regarding the investigation of the murder case and assault but no response has been received from you.”

The complainant says that deliberate failure by Police to investigate and bring the culprits to book is a gross violation of his rights as enshrined in the constitution and that the force is liable in courts of law.

“The purpose of this letter is, therefore, to demand that unless you cause thorough investigations to be done into circumstances which led to fatalities and other violence within seven days, our instructions are to commence legal proceedings against you personally and vicariously under the Human Rights Enforcement Act and other laws for compensations and other reliefs at your cost, peril and embarrassment,” the lawyers threaten.