Torture survivors pin police on brutality in the north

“There is this one CID, Mr Ongom who hit my back with the butt of his gun and tortured me seriously while in police custody at the CPS. He did not have any mercy and torturing me was what he enjoyed,” Mr Kilama recalls his time in detention.

According to Mr Kilama, he was allegedly arrested for aggravated defilement and he spent almost two weeks in police detention.

He appealed to civil society organizations and government agencies to help wiped out the increasing and prevailing cases of torture and brutality in the hands of police.

“I am still looking for this CID, whenever he is, I will one day find him and he will pay for the brutality he committed. I appeal to you government and NGOs, help us and talk to these police officers to stop torturing suspects,” Mr Kilama said.

Adding that, “even today, when you walk into a police cell, you will hear the same concern of torture and brutality being reported by the suspects in their [police] custody.”

Several legal instruments prohibit torture.

Mr Benson Okumu, the Police Community Liaison Officer, Bardege-Layibi Central Police Station in Gulu City confirmed that there are some cases of torture at the police cells and they are working towards getting rid of the vice.

Mr Okumu further called upon the community members and different stakeholders to work towards eradicating torture in the community and places where they are allegedly perpetrated.

“I cannot deny the allegations levied on us [police], there might be some cases but we are committed to fight and end torture in the police and other places,” Mr Okumu said.

Adding that, “let us go and change and implement the policies. We should avoid torture completely.”

Mrs Jane Frances Okili, the Gulu City Resident City Commissioner urged the local communities and stakeholders to embrace dialogue and peaceful co-existence for the better of the community.

“It is upon us to stop torture. We usually only think of the physical torture but there are psychological, mental and other forms of torture which are not considered by many people,” Mrs Okili said.

Adding that, “let us embrace dialogue because you cannot keep quiet with your wife for a whole day and you think that is not torture, let us talk to one another instead of torturing someone emotionally and mentally.”

Ms Fiona Opoka, the Regional Human Rights Officer, Uganda Human Rights Commission confirmed to Monitor that the leading perpetrators of torture and brutality in the north remains police.

According to Ms Opoka, the police still remain the leading perpetrators of torture on suspects arrested and detained in their custody.

“Yes, the police are still the number one perpetrators of torture on citizens, followed by the UPDF and other individual actors,” Ms Opoka said.

On 12 December 1997, by resolution 52/149, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, with a view of total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The United Nations has condemned torture from the outset as one of the vilest acts perpetrated by human beings on their fellow human beings.