The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Tribunal, sitting at its Hoima Regional Office has awarded a total of Shs69.5m in general damages to four complainants who were maliciously arrested, tortured on false accusation of murder.
The tribunal being chaired by the Chairperson Mariam Wangadya which also had Hajat Shifrah Lukwago, Simeo Muwanga Nsubuga and Jacklet Atuhaire Rwabukurukuru on Monday started its weeklong sittings in Bunyoro Sub-region .
During the inception sitting, the tribunal found that the four complainants Simon Kirungi and his wife Scovia Nsungwa , Fred Kyaligonza and Kwikiriza Peregrini were arrested on allegations that they had murdered a sister to the then Buhaguzi Member of Parliament, Tom Kyahurwenda, one Margaret Nsungwa .
In a 23-page decision read by the Chairperson on behalf of the panel, the Tribunal noted that on June 1st 2008 at around 9am Kirungi was arrested by Police Officers of Hoima Police Station and taken to Mugoro Forest.
“They forced him to carry the body parts of the deceased to the Station where he was detained.
Kirungi, Kyaligonza and Kwikiriza alleged that during their detention they were severely beaten by Police Officers who also burnt them with molten plastic, undressed and forced them to sit in red ants which bit them, and chopped off pieces of flesh from their bodies. This was intended to compel them to confess to the murder of Nsungwa Margaret,” the Commission heard.
In May 2011, the DPP dropped the murder claims against all the complainants.
The commission found that the police also violated their respective rights to liberty as Kirungi and Kyaligonza spent a total of 11 days, Kwikiriza spent 8 and Nsungwa a total of 14 days in police custody.
“In consideration of all the above factors, we consider Shs20m adequate compensation to each of the three complainants namely; Kirungi, Kyaligonza and Kwikiriza. We consider a sum of Shs2m adequate compensation for the first two complainants; Kirungi and Kyaligonza, Shs1.5m for Kwikiriza and Shs4m for Nsungwa for violation of their respective right to personal liberty. We so award,” Wangadya said.