By David Kibirige
Oct 17, 2003
|
MBUYA - An army paymaster now in detention at Mbuya barracks has said that he was tortured. He claims he has been in jail since his arrest on March 10 this year. Sgt. Bosco Giita Musoke was arrested and searched by Capt. David Opeero, Pte. P Biraro and C. Kirabira, according to a search certificate dated March 10. He was later detained at Mbuya. Musoke told The Monitor yesterday at Mbuya that he has never been charged. A medical report dated March 13, 2003, indicates that Musoke was tortured. Musoke drew the wrath of his bosses when he announced the existence of ghost soldiers on the army payroll on several FM stations. The then Army Commander Maj. Gen. James Kazini ordered his arrest. In 2001, Musoke was also in trouble in DR Congo - after telling Kampala that some officers had included ghosts on the payroll. �My family is suffering. My children can no longer go to school?my wife has resorted to begging,� Musoke said. People have been detained here for years without being charged, he said. He said some of the detainees are soldiers while others are terrorism suspects or former rebel fighters. He named some of the suspects as Eddie Agaba, Anthony Mayanja, Paul Muwanga and Emma Kasaba. Army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza said yesterday that Musoke has no place in jail and the army in general. �Musoke has no place in our cells. He should be released and thereafter dismissed,� he said. Bantariza said Musoke had maligned the Chief Political Commissar, Brig. Kale Kayihura, on a radio station. Musoke claimed then that Kayihura had blocked him from reporting to the President the existence of ghosts on the payroll. �I have not seen Musoke of late� he said. He said he last saw Musoke when he returned from the DR Congo with many scars on his face. �Not every scar seen accounts for torture," he said. Bantariza said people overstay in jail without being produced in court due to lack of permanent personnel manning the army courts. He said the problem is being addressed. |
� 2003 The Monitor Publications
Protect your PC - Click here for McAfee.com VirusScan Online -------------------------------------------- This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
