Zaake was never tortured; he is only seeking political clout - Police

Police has dismissed as untrue, the allegations by Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament, Francis Zaake that he was tortured during his arrest last month.

In a statement, police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said investigations carried out have indicated that despite being violent, the legislator was never tortured.

“We would like to strongly dismiss these allegations as false and misleading. And the reason we are responding is to counter the sophisticated propaganda aimed at negatively portraying security forces as brutal and further tarnish the image of Uganda as a country,”Enanga said.

The Police mouthpiece explained at upon arrest, Zaake was detained at Mityana police station at 7pm where he “interacted freely” with other suspects and that there were no claims of torture but turned violent after learning of his transfer to the Special Investigations Division in Kireka.

“This led to a struggle while removing him from the cells, upon obtaining credible intelligence of plans by his supporters and relatives to hold violent protests at the police station the following morning, to forcefully cause his release from custody. He held onto a metallic door and fixed one of his legs in between the bars to the cells, assisted by other suspects. He was however, overpowered and removed from the cells.”

According to police, there was another scuffle that saw him damage one side of the handcuffs but was later transported at the back of a police patrol vehicle due to his violent nature.

Not taken to CMI

In his narration, Zaake said he was driven from Mityana to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence(CMI) in Mbuya where he was severely beaten by the military who also asked him to denounce People Power and its leader, Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi.

He said that later, he was driven from Mbuya to the Special Investigations Division in Kireka.

In his suit before the civil division of the High Court in Kampala In which government was sued over torture,  Zaake listed the CMI chief, Maj.Gen.Abel Kandiho as a respondent .

However, in their statement, Police denied as untrue, the allegations that the legislator was driven to CMI headquarters and tortured.

“He was finally taken into custody at SID Kireka at 00.11am after a journey of approximately one hour and twenty minutes.  It is not true that he was taken CMI. The story is a total concoction and   the CCTV camera stamps from Bulenga to SID Kireka are clear,”Enanga said.

Police say the legislator was never deprived of his rights as his injuries were attended to by a clinical officer.

“The public should know that the Hon Francis Zaake, has a history of violent conduct witnessed on a couple of occasions in Parliament and during the Arua fracas. He has much disrespect for security personnel, last year he was arrested after he out rightly breached the conditions of his police bond. And he has previously feigned sickness as a tool to politicize and snub the legal procedures in place, for political sympathy and to mobilize their donors,”Enanga said.

“Although the specific allegations of torture in his affidavit are not consistent with the physical evidence gathered thus far, the leadership of the joint security agencies remain committed to protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Ugandans as guaranteed in the Constitution. We remain confident that once the facts gathered are presented before the Civil Court, our officers will be considered to have carried out their duties in accordance with the law.”

On Thursday, the State Minister for Internal Affairs, Obiga Kania said the wounds on Zaake’s body were self-inflicted .