Police arrest 12 more suspects in Kaweesi’s murder

KAMPALA. Security forces have reportedly rounded up 12 more suspects as investigations into last Friday’s shock killing of Assistant Inspector General of Police Andrew Felix Kaweesi entered day six.
The reported arrest of 12 new suspects would bring the number of those held so far to 17 after four suspects were picked at Kaweesi’s burial in Kitwekyanjovu, Kyazanga Sub-county, Lwengo District on Tuesday.
Police director for operations, AIGP Asuman Mugyenyi, whom the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, has appointed acting police spokesman, confirmed the arrests yesterday.
“The arrests were conducted around Naggalama and Najjera but details are with the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman,” Mr Mugyenyi said.

By press time, Daily Monitor was, however, unable to get any details out of Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman Emilian Kayima.
The officer first denied any knowledge of this development in the case which has gripped the nation.
“I am not aware of that news but even if I was I would not be the right person to speak for the police on such a matter. But I think at an appropriate time, the police authority will brief the nation on the progress of the investigations,” Mr Kayima said.
A security source, who is believed to have taken part in Tuesday night’s raid on a home where the 12 were thought to be hiding in Najjera, said five children were among those arrested.

“The young suspects were found in the home of suspects. The children said they were being trained to become assassins. The suspects have said they are being funded by foreigners and we are tracking funders’ telephone contacts,” the source said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the security source, told Daily Monitor that investigators were led to the Najjera house by one of the suspects who had been arrested on Sunday.
The 12 suspects were reportedly first detained at Nagalama Police Station in Mukono District but later transferred to Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka, a claim Daily Monitor could not independently verify since all police authorities were cagey on the matter.

Mr Henry Mugumya, acting director SIU, said he had no mandate to speak to the media and referred this newspaper to the police’s spokesperson.
“I think you know it is the spokesperson who can give you such information but not me,” he said yesterday.
Ms Jesca Naawe, Nagalama Division police commander, said she had no detainees in her cells related to the Kaweesi murder.
“It is not true that I have such suspects in my cells,” Ms Naawe said.

Kaweesi, 43, was gunned down alongside his bodyguard Kenneth Erau and driver Godfrey Wambewa at Kulambiro in Nakawa Division of Kampala City while going to give a lecture to students of Uganda Christian University in Mukono Town.
According to a source in the Kampala Metropolitan Scene of Crime Unit, 27 bullets were retrieved from Kaweesi’s body; 33 from Erau and 11 in the drivers’ body.
He added that 73 cartridges were picked from the scene of crime.
Kaweesi had no deputy spokesperson when took over the mantle to speak from commissioner of police Fred Enanga.
Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura, while speaking to mourners at Kaweesi’s burial on Tuesday, said one suspect was held as he attempted to flee into the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Two suspects were reportedly arrested a day after Kaweesi was assassinated.

Appointed

IGP Gen Kale Kayihura has appointed AIGP Asuman Mugenyi (above), the police spokesman replacing the slain Andrew Felix Kaweesi. Mr Mugenyi, who is also the director for operations, confirmed the appointment. “The IGP ordered me to act as the police spokesman. I am now doing that,” Mr Mugenyi said. This is the third time Mr Mugenyi has been appointed the police spokesman having served in that post from 1999 to 2006 and then in 2011.