Police and opposition politicians are giving conflicting information on the number of people who were arrested during Wednesday’s riots in the city.
The riots resulted into the death of John Bosco Ariong, a police officer attached to Kafumbe Mukasa Road police post, who was reportedly stoned to death while on duty. Forty-eight year old Ariong, who had been in the force for 26 years, was allegedly stoned on the forehead while at Mini Price in downtown Kampala.
While the police insist that 16 suspects were arrested during running battles between police and the Activists for Change members, opposition leaders say that over 20 people were arrested. The fracas followed the arrest of FDC leader, Col. Dr Kizza Besigye, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Kampala Woman MP Nabilah Nagayi Sempala among others.
According to the police spokesperson Asuman Mugyenyi, seven of those arrested including Besigye, Lukwago and Naggayi were on Wednesday night released on police bond while nine others remain in police custody. Mugyenyi however, declined to reveal their identities.
Mugyenyi further revealed that the police will continue with investigations to track down all those involved in the murder of the officer.
This has, however, been rubbished by A4C leaders who are behind the protests saying that police arrested many people and that it is not disclosing their identities so that they can easily torture them in their cells without anyone questioning.
Matthias Mpuuga, the A4C coordinator revealed that they had few details of those who are still in the cells and that police was torturing them. On Wednesday evening, Aruu MP Odonga Otto had claimed that at least 22 people were being held by police.
