Uganda government’s spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo has clashed with a top international lawyer over the health status of Kyadondo East Lawmaker, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.
Ofwono Opondo hit out at Robert Amsterdam accusing him of “employing diversionary tactics in raising the tantalising, although unproven, allegations of torture”.
“The case of #BobiWine is before courts of law in #Uganda 4 treason & inciting violence,& no doubt, his lawyer[s] Bob Amsterdam & others are trying to get him off the hook by employing diversionary tactics in raising the tantalizing, although unproven, allegations of torture,” Ofwono said on Thursday.
Bobi Wine says he was tortured while being held by Ugandan security forces. He is facing treason charges, which he denies.
This is after Bobi Wine’s international lawyer, Bob Amsterdam wrote an opinion in theguardian titled ‘Uganda’s brutal treatment of MPs is enabled by global indifference’, where he attacked the government of Uganda.
Opondo added: “Therefore, Mr. Amsterdam’s false and negative references to the Ugandan government aren’t entirely surprising. If indeed Bobi Wine was tortured or injected with unknown substances, as being claimed, he should quickly return to Uganda to raise those matters before court, where the trial will be, and they shall transparently be investigated, and culprits punished.”
He says the government of Uganda is a law-abiding country and doesn’t assassinate its opponents.
“Otherwise they are nonsensical because Bobi Wine isn’t the only suspect in this case, and the Uganda state doesn’t use assassination against its opponents or even enemies. Uganda is a law-abiding country,” he said
In response, Amsterdam said, “Just saw this official communiqué from the Government of Uganda, personally attacking me for my defense of @HEBobiWine. These sort of blatant lies only hurt their credibility and detract from the urgent issues of governance and rule of law facing the country.”
Bobi is currently in the US where he is seeking treatment for his injuries that he has said were sustained in detention.
