Police: Private Guards Beat Tegu

Four people have been charged with the murder of a third-year Makerere University Veterinary student Emmanuel Tegu.
The suspects are Charles Oigu, the Area Councillor, Balam Nyekoa security guard, Johnson Kakuru and Moses Sekitoleko both residents of Makerere.
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, in a press statement said that the post mortem report revealed the cause of death as blunt force trauma, due to open wounds along the back, multiple cane marks on the back of the right elbow and abrasions along the abdomen and the entire back of the victim.
According to police, on June 27, the victim left his sister Rachael Ariongeti’s home, at Namungoona where he also stayed with his brother Sam Okwalinga and proceeded to his church at Makerere.
Tegu did not return home, but in the evening at around 10 pm, he was allegedly intercepted by a police officer Mukose Farouk who was on routine patrol behind the main building near the water tank.
Mukose reportedly attempted to inquire about who he was and what he was doing at such an ordinary hour, out in the cold.
Enanga said Tegu appeared erratic and responded by throwing stones at the officer, who fired three shots in the air to scare the victim but kept charging at him.
Police said the victim ran towards St Augustine church and Centenary bank, where he charged at the three private security guards but was overpowered.
Security guards at Centenary Bank allegedly hit him using the metallic chairs from the visitor’s tent, and it’s at this stage that he cried out for help, which attracted about 10-15 residents from Zone 1 and West road quarters around Lumumba Hall.
“Among the responders were a few youths who joined the private security guards and violently assaulted the victim, whom they suspected to be a thief,” Enanga said.
St Augustine Chapel Chaplain Fr Josephat Ddungu intervened stopping the charged residents and alerted police.
The police team responded and rushed the victim to Mulago National Referral Hospital. On Sunday, he was traced at the hospital by his brother and discharged on Monday.
Police added that while at home, the victim’s condition started deteriorating and he was taken to Mild May Clinic, Sseguku on Tuesday to his doctor, Dr Arinda Anita who was treating his bipolar condition since 2018.
Dr Anita reportedly referred them to a specialist at Rubaga Hospital, to check if there was a problem with his kidney since he was not passing urine.
While at Rubaga Hospital, he was further referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kiruddu where he died on July 43.
“The task team has established that about three private security guards of SGA and seven others, who responded to the alarm, were behind the violent assault of the victim,” Enanga said.
Detectives reconstructed the scene and a few key pieces of evidence including CCTV footage from St Augustine Church, metallic chairs from the visitors’ tent at the banks which were used as a weapon against the victim, a wire rod and relevant witness statements were recorded.
“We would like to inform the public that the investigations are still open and we have clues about three more suspects who are still at large,” Enanga said.
It is very helpful if we avoid speculation and instead avail evidence that is crucial to the matter under inquiry.
Tegu was a son to a police officer identified as Okwalinga. The Inspector-General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola has tasked Commissioner in charge of private firearms and security organizations to ensure they are all retrained and equipped with the required skills on rules of engagement and use of reasonable force in the course of their duties.