Eric Sakwa: Victim’s family welcomes Museveni's directive on forced leave

The family of the man who died after he was allegedly beaten by Jinja RDC Eric Sakwa and his alleged accomplices has welcomed the move by President Museveni to send him on forced leave.

The president in a May 11 letter to the Minister for Presidency, Esther Mbayo ordered Sakwa to step aside for two months, to allow proper investigations into the manslaughter charge against him.

Speaking to media on Saturday at in Lwanda Village in Jinja district, the deceased’s father, John Tidhomu said he was happy that the president had at last intervened in the matter.

“I thank the president for having issued a statement in regards RDC Sakwa who was involved in the death of my son. I must thank him for the initiative but I also asking him to make a follow to the case,”Tidhomu said.

President Museveni in his May 11 letter said he had been informed Sakwa is a victim of a “frame up by corrupt people in Jinja” that are fighting him over his good work.

“My information shows that Sakwa was not at the scene and that the man fell down and later died from the injuries caused by the fall,”Museveni said.

However, the deceased’s father told the media that there have been efforts to see the case bungled up,  but asked the president to make a follow up visit to the area to get facts about the same.

“Many people come here from the other side (of Sakwa) and try to divert us from the truth. President Museveni should visit us and we give him first-hand information of what happened,”Tidhomu said.

"We only need officials from government to come and get information from us. They should identify themselves before getting any information from us or else we shall not say anything because some people pretend to be investigators yet they have their own motives."

Prosecution alleges that Sakwa, 38, together with Bazimbyewa Bumali, 19, a mechanic and Mohammed Simba alias Meddie, 31, and a businessman in Jinja between March 22 and April 17 this year at Lwanda Village in Jinja District, unlawfully caused the death of Charles Isanga, a businessman in the area.

The cases stems from accusations of using an iron hand while implementing the presidential guidelines on containing the Covid-19 pandemic.