Freedom City proprietor, Ssebalamu summoned as police seek to join the dots in stampede puzzle

Police investigators have widened the net  in a bid to further join dots in the new year stampede at Freedom City Mall that left 10 dead.

Earlier, the event organizer, Abbey Musinguzi also known as Abitex was arrested and arraigned before court over negligence that led to the death of nine people.

However, according to Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, in a bid to get more information about the incident, investigators have summoned more people including the proprietor of the building and city businessman, John Ssebalamu to record statements in regards the incident on new year’s day.

“We have now summoned for questioning; the proprietor of the venue(John Ssebalamu), the managers, other organizers of the event, the masters of ceremony, ushers, bouncers and private security guards who were dedicated to the event,” Enanga said.

“Also summoned are police officers and other security personnel who were deployed to secure the event. At a later stage, we shall listen to the parents to some of the children to establish how they separated from them and got trapped in the passageway and gates.”

According to the police spokesperson, the force is soon releasing a list of comprehensive guidelines on various aspects of planning and managing events to be followed in order to  avoid a repeat of such tragic incidents.

Loopholes

Police earlier this week said that preliminary findings indicated that whereas its team had inspected and cleared the venue for the concert, four of its five entry and exit points were later closed by the organizer in a bid to maximize profits by avoiding gate- crashers.

“When the MC made an announcement for revelers to go out and watch the fireworks display, they had to use one point of entry and exit. Therefore, several victims were trapped and tramped upon through the narrow passage which became a bottleneck for many, mostly juveniles,” Enanga said.

The investigation will therefore seek to find out who was behind the closure of the four other points of entry and exit and why revelers would be asked to move out to watch a fireworks display when only one exit or entry was opened yet they were many in number.

Investigators will also seek to find out whether there was coordination between the police officers at the concert and the event organisers on what to be done in regards guidelines for such public events.