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Police summon Kyaligonza for assault of traffic officer
What you need to know:
- Last week, Parliament passed a motion to recall Maj Gen Kyaligonza from his diplomatic posting in Burundi over the incident.
Kampala. Police have said Uganda’s ambassador to Burundi, Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza, has been summoned for interrogation on charges of assaulting a female traffic police officer.
The police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, said Maj Gen Kyaligonza will be interrogated this week by the deputy director of Special Investigations Division, Mr Elly Womanya.
Maj Gen Kyaligonza is accused of assaulting Sgt Esther Namaganda on February 24 in Seeta Town when she stopped his vehicle for making a U-turn at a wrong point.
In a video clip, which circulated on social media last week, he and his two guards appear to manhandle Sgt Namaganda.
Police said Maj Gen Kyaligonza was summoned by the supervisory ministry, Internal Affairs, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Police said Sgt Namaganda alleged that Maj Gen Kyaligonza slapped her twice after she stopped his vehicle for violating traffic rules and regulations.
“Between today (yesterday) and Friday, our investigative team will have obtained a statement from Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza. Police leadership and army leadership have organised to have his statement recorded in regard to assaulting our female traffic officer. Our deputy SID director, Mr Elly Womanya, is at the forefront to obtain this statement,” Mr Enanga said.
He said Kampala CID team has already obtained statements from Maj Gen Kyaligonza’s bodyguards Lance Cpl Peter Bushindiki and Pte John Robert Okurut.
He said Gen Kyaligonza will be interrogated on three charges of wilful obstruction of a traffic officer on duty, assault and violation of traffic laws.
Last week, police said although they acknowledged apologies from its sister security agency, UPDF, over the manner in which Sgt Namaganda was treated, they would ensure the offenders are brought to book.
Condemns incident
The UPDF spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, issued a statement hours after the incident condemning the soldiers’ actions and said the culprits had already been arrested.
“Mr Womanya will also record a statement from Gen Kyaligonza’s driver. We have already recorded statement from the journalist who was assaulted in the same incident.We have about three case files in response to this incident,” Mr Enanga said.
Mr Peter Otai, a UBC TV sports journalist, who took pictures of the incident, was allegedly pounded by Gen Kyaligonza’s guards.
Mr Otai said Pt Okurut even attempted to stab him with a sword/bayonet but he survived narrowly.
