Soldier captured on video slapping, kicking kneeling man arrested, says UPDF
The UPDF has said their own officer who was captured on video slapping and kicking a man has been arrested.
In a video that went viral on social media, a UPDF officer was captured kicking and slapping the unidentified man several times as he pleaded for forgiveness.
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Whereas the man knelt down and pleaded for mercy, the UPDF officer didn’t listen to the pleas as he continued to kick and slap the victim.
Members of the public have since blasted the UPDF for the action of their officer that they termed as barbaric and unbecoming of a professional army.
However, in a statement released later, the UPDF spokesperson, Brig Flavia Byekwaso said they had taken action after watching the video.
“UPDF has noted with concern- a circulating video of one of our soldiers acting out of order against a civilian. The soldier has been arrested and action will be taken against him. UPDF remains a people's army,” Byekwaso tweeted.
Several UPDF officers have in the past been involved in incidents of violation of human rights and many of them have been arrested and arraigned before the army courts.
Speaking to the Nile Post recently, the Chief of Defence Forces in the UPDF, Gen Wilson Mbadi said the army always has mechanisms of disciplining officers who go astray.
“We have mechanisms in place to penalize those who deviate from the establishment. When you go for an operation, there are rules of engagements and if you go out against these, you are penalized,” he said.
According to Mbadi there is the UPDF Act 2005 and the Unit Disciplinary Committees of the UPDF to check errant officers who deviate from the line of the army.
He insisted that the UPDF will always be a people’s army and that anyone who goes against the same will be penalized.
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