Tortured MP Zaake Sues Government, Eight Security Officers
Mityana Municipality MP, Francis Zaake, has sued eight security officers, among them, is the Wamala Region Police Commander (RPC) Bob Kagarura and the director-general of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) for superintending over his torture while in detention at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Kireka in Wakiso district.
The police arrested Zaake on April 19 from his home at Buswabulongo in Mityana Municipality over charges related to distribution of food to his Covid-19 stressed constituents.
He was driven to the Kireka facility from where he allegedly tortured to near death before he was rushed to the police-run Iran-Uganda Friendship hospital, Naguru near Kampala.
In a suit filed in the High Court in Kampala, Zaake wants the Attorney General on behalf of the government, Kagarura, Kandiho, Alex Mwiine, Elly Womanya (SIU commandant), Hamdan Twesigye, Musa Walugembe and Haruna Mulungi Nsamba to be individually held liable for the torture that was occasioned to him.
In his application, filed in the High Court today through his lawyers of Kiiza and Mugisha advocates, Zaake asked the court to declare that the intentional infliction of severe pain and suffering during his arrest and detention infringed on his fundamental right to dignity, freedom from torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.
Zaake also wants the respondents to be found in contempt of court when they failed to release him despite the order from the Nakawa Chief magistrate.
Zaake also wants the court to issue a permanent order staying all criminal proceedings arising from his arrest and detention. He also wants to be compensated for punitive and aggravated harm that was caused to him by the arrest, detention and torture.
In his affidavit in support of the application, the MP alleges that his 15million Shillings meant for supporting his constituents was stolen from his bedroom in the process of searching his house by policemen on orders of the DPC.
Last week, court ordered for Zaake’s immediate release after he was presented to take plea half-naked and visibly in a lot of pain. He’s currently recovering at Lubaga Hospital.
This was not the first time that Zaake has been allegedly tortured at the hands of the security. He suffered Similar treatment during the infamous arrests that preceded the election of Kassiano Wadri as the Member of Parliament for Arua Municipality.
