Uganda’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), General Kale Kayihura has snubbed summons to appear before Uganda Human Rights Commission-UHRC in the ongoing investigations on the torture of suspects in police custody. UHRC invited Kayihura alongside heads of other security agencies, the Internal Affairs, Defense and Security Ministers to answer queries regarding the torture of suspects on police custody in connection with the murder of former Police Spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his body guard Kenneth Erau and Geoffrey Mambewo.
The Defense State Minister, Col Charles Okello Engola and representatives from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, Uganda Prison Services and Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF showed up for the meeting but Kayihura was no show. Security Minister, Henry Tumukunde communicated his absence from the meeting, saying he would be out of the country.
Amooti Katebalirwe, the acting Chairperson UHRC, says although most of the accusations are targeted at Police, they didn’t send any representatives. The security chiefs were expected to appear with responses to the status and command structure of Nalufenya Detention facility, torture of suspects at Nalufenya and other police facilities, prolonged detention of suspects and the Police Flying Squad Unit.
“We postponed the meeting last week after the Deputy IGP, Okoth Ochola asked that we move it to this week when the IGP is around to attend it,” Katebalirwe said. Adding that, “The DIGP only told me last evening after I failed to get to Kayihura that he would attend a meeting at Internal Affairs in the morning. We thought he would come later or send a representative.”
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