67 Civilians Detained At Military Police Barracks
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The Monitor (Kampala)
September 3, 2005
Posted to the web September 2, 2005
Andrew M. Mwenda & Grace Matsiko
Kampala
ABOUT 67 civilians are being indefinitely detained at Makindye Military Police barracks.
The suspects were booked in the military barracks go-down cell by the Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU), a special squad established to handle vicious armed gangs in the country.
A source that preferred anonymity said some of the detainees had been in the cells since VCCU was established in 2002 without appearing in court.
Attempts to get a comment from the VCCU Commandant, Mr David Magara, were futile.
But Army and Defence spokesman, Lt. Col. Shaban Bantariza, confirmed the detention of the suspects at the barracks.
"These people (detainees) were brought in by the VCCU but it is not true they have been in detention without being taken to court since 2002. Fifteen of them were brought to the cell about a week ago," Bantariza said on Thursday.
He said many of the suspects apart from the new detainees had been arraigned before courts and were on remand at the barracks.
Bantariza said the General Court Martial (GCM) chaired by Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine was trying to ensure that the trial of the suspects was expedited.
Under the constitution, suspects are not supposed to be in detention beyond 48-hours before they appear in courts.
In a bid to crack hard on the hard-core criminals, the government decided that civilians who use military ware like guns to commit crime should appear before the GCM not the civilian courts.
A list of detainees that Daily Monitor accessed included, Mr Apollo Bariyo, Mr Willy Luganda, Mr Eriya Dungu, Mr Simon Katamba, Mr Abraham Samwezi, Mr Richard Rurega, Mr Joseph Mukiibi Katenda, Mr Mpanga Walusimbi, and Mr Mohamed Kivumbi.
Others are Mr Mohamed Balidawa, Mr Isifu Matovu, Mr David Kalyango, Mr Sulaiman Alituha, Mr Walter Kilyera, Mr David Otyenyo, Mr Frank Akugizibwe, Mr Julius Mugisha, Mr Julius Kato, Mr Swizini Twesigye and Mr Anthony Bigilwania.
Others include Mr Robert Emyako, Mr G. Semwanga, Mr Peter Ekau, Mr James Opego, Mr Stephen Ongeny, and Peter Ebunyu, and Mr Aziz Bogere, , among others.
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