Suypporters of the Forum for Democratic Change, who were on Monday Morning arrested for their involvement in the Walk to work protest, have vowed to continue with their protests despite court charges.
Wafula Oguttu, Jack Sabiti, Abdu Katuntu, Peace Kansiime and Busingye Fiona were charged before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court with disturbing peace and order.
Oguttu who was arrested at about 9:00am, said he was bundled up in the Police Patrol pick up registration number UP 2553 in a dehumanizing manner and bundled up like a sack of cassava.
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Oguttu and Abdu Katuntu were for seven hours held at the Jinja Police station and confined in just one room. Katuntu went to the police station as a lawyer for Oguttu, but was instead arrested.
Katuntu says these are tramped up charges and warned the state against interfering with the court process. He says that Government should find means of enabling the common man afford food and fuel among other necessities whose prices have sky rocketed.
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Earlier in the morning, FDC Vice President Eastern Region, Salamu Musumba, was barred from accessing Wafula and Katuntu at Jinja road police station and a war of words ensued between her and the officers in charge including the DPC Kamugisha Dennis.
The DPC insisted she had no business being at the police premises and they dared each other on who should push first.
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FDC lawyer, Wandera Ogaalo, said this was the first time in his profession that he had been denied access to his clients. A visibly disappointed Ogaalo walked away wondering why there is a road block at the police station.
Addressing journalists in the evening, the Inspector General of Police Maj. Gen Kale Kaihura defended the arrests saying the FDC officials, were taking advantage of the walk to cause chaos in the country since they had a hidden agenda.
Kaihura says they had reliable information that the FDC officials had planned to converge at Christ the King, proceed to the City square and then disrupt business in the city centre.
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