The family of the late Ronald Ssebulime has petitioned the Inspector General of Police-IGP, Martin Okoth Ochola demanding the arrest of the State Minister for Information, Communication and Technology, Idah Erios Nantaba.
Ssebulime was gunned down by police officers on March 24th in Mukono district on suspicion of tracking Nantaba with intentions of harming her. Police officers on patrol arrested Ssebulime, handcuffed him and dumped him on a police patrol van before they pulled him down and shot him dead.
The officers intervened after Nantaba tipped Nagalama police station that two men riding a grey Suzuki Sports motorcycle registration number UDL 822A were trailing her in a suspicious manner.
Police have since locked up Corporal David Ssali and Police Constables Ronald Opira and Ronald Baganza for murder in connection to the incident. However, Nantaba is yet to record a statement.
She declined to respond to summons to appear at the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters in Kampala for questioning, saying she was under instructions from President Yoweri Museveni to stay inside her home.
“In such circumstances, I’m restrained to travel to Kibuli CID headquarters as you requested. But you may in the meantime consider visiting my premises to record the required statement,” read her letter to CID.
On April, 1st, 2019, Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga told Journalists in Kampala that they had written to the Internal Affairs State Minister, Obiga Kania seeking advice on how to proceed since visiting Nantaba’s home wasn’t an option.
Now, Ssebulime’s family through their lawyer, Muwada Nkunyingi is demanding the minister’s arrest, saying she is the prime suspect in the murder. The family dismisses police claims that Nantaba has failed to show up as reckless, which amounts to Police failure to exercise its constitutional mandate as far as criminal justice is concerned.
“We remind you that your powers as IGP are statutory and should be legally exercised. We refuse, reject and dismiss the police position, contained in a press statement released by police spokesperson on April 1, 2019 of first consulting the line minister upon refusal by Honorable Idah Nantaba to respond to police summons,” Nkunyingi said in his statement.
He said that in the past, several Ministers have been arrested and charged in courts of laws arguing that there should be no reason as to why Nantaba should be exempted.
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga couldn’t be reached for comment as he would neither pick nor return our calls. The Internal Affairs State Minister, Obiga Kania declined to comment on the matter in a phone text to our reporter.
Ssebulime’s family has since issued a notice of intentions to sue to the suspects, Nantaba and the Attorney General seeking compensation of Shillings 9.9 billion for general damages caused to them.
However, Nantaba was recently quoted saying she isn’t willing to compensate the bereaved family.
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