Police speak out on woman arrested in Mbarara: “She deals in counterfeit”

Police in Mbarara have confirmed the arrest of a woman who was seen being forced into a drone by plain clothed security personnel in a video that has since gone viral on social media.

The woman has been identified as Anisha Komuhendo, and police said that she was arrested by their sister security agency, the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

According to Samson Kasasira who is the Rwizi region spokesperson, Komuhendo is a resident of Entebbe, and she had come to Mbarara to stand in for her her relatives that were arraigned before Mbarara High Court magistrate on Monday pending charges of forgery.

“She is a resident of Entebbe and had come to stand in for her colleagues; they are actually her relatives, the two that had been arrested earlier and remanded on Monday” Kasasira added.

Komuhendo who was arrested by CMI from Golf course supermarket parking yard as seen in the viral video is also accused of causing chaos at court, according to Kasasira.

The Rwizi police mouthpiece said that she had been taken to Mbarara central police station where she was by press time, pending charges.

The viral video caused concern among the residents of Mbarara and on various social media platforms, with Ugandans criticising the mode of arrest, especially by plain clothed security personnel.

Opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye said via his Facebook account that the government should respect the rule of law, as prescribed in the country’s constitution.

“Another broad daylight brutal drone kidnap reported in Mbarara! Acts of impunity. No person shall be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” Besigye said in the post.

The viral video follows on the heels of photos of victims of torture, including writer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija and National Unity Platform (NUP) Kabale coordinator Samuel Masereka that are awash on social media.