Police link dead NUP supporter to ADF attacks
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said Coster Muhongya, a resident of Kasese District, died after he slid and fell in the bathroom at their detention facility in Kireka, a Kampala suburb.
What you need to know:
- This comes after Mr Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, said Muhongya was abducted by security operatives on January 5 from his home in Kasese District and driven to a detention facility in Kampala where he was tortured to death.
- But Police yesterday refuted the torture allegations.
Police have linked a deceased National Unity Platform (NUP) party supporter to attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in Uganda.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said Coster Muhongya, a resident of Kasese District, died after he slid and fell in the bathroom at their detention facility in Kireka, a Kampala suburb.
He said the deceased was being investigated in connection with facilitating the movement of ADF recruits from Uganda to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Police said 80-year-old Muhongya was picked up after four suspects, arrested in connection with the attack on Busiika Police Station last year, mentioned him in their confessions.
“We interrogated these suspects and they indicated that when they were being transported from Uganda to DRC, they had a conduit in Kasese District whom they identified as Coster Muhongya,” Mr Enanga told journalists in Kampala yesterday.
This comes after Mr Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, said Muhongya was abducted by security operatives on January 5 from his home in Kasese District and driven to a detention facility in Kampala where he was tortured to death.
But Police yesterday refuted the torture allegations.
“Although Mr Mpuuga suspected foul play, we are happy to inform him, the bereaved family and the public that an inquest was conducted after the death of the 80-year-old and it was established that his death was accidental when he slid and fell in the bathroom at Kireka detention facility,” Mr Enanga said.
He added that Muhongya was pinned by suspects for facilitating the movement of ADF recruits from Uganda to DRC.
“During the coronial investigations, sufficient documentary evidence was gathered, 12 suspects with whom the victim shared custody were interviewed and the cause of the death was established as an accidental fall death that led to a fatal chest injury,” he added.
But when contacted, Mr Mpuuga referred to Mr Enanga as “a disgrace to the police force.” “Let’s assume that he is linked to rebellion, was police custody a court that sentenced him to death? Why didn’t the police inform his family about his arrest and death but chose to bury him quietly in a cemetery? ” Mr Mpuuga said.
