Brig Gen. Felix Kulayigye, the outgoing Member of Parliament representing Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has revealed that that the drone cars allegedly used to abduct Ugandans do not belong to the army.
Appearing on NBS TV on Thursday, Brig-Gen Kulayigye said that as the national army they are not aware of the drones used to abduct people. He however said that he has heard many people speaking about people being abducted, a matter he said that is driving Uganda back in the period of Panda gaali in 1980s.
“1982/3 were the most common for ‘Panda Ggaali’. I’m hearing about drones but as far as I know, we haven’t purchased drones as the UPDF. I agree with any Ugandan, adduction is criminal. You declare once you have someone in your custody, the family should be informed,” he said.
Gen Kulayigye added that abduction of a civilian without provision of warrant of arrest is a criminal offence.
“I want to be on record I totally condemn abduction, someone should not be abducted, if he has crime go and arrest him peacefully.”
The practice of abducting people by men dressed in civilian attires with guns using vehicles named drones became so common last year before the nomination of presidential candidates.
Several reports of people being abducted by the security agents have piled at different police stations however what is worrying is that even Police seem to be limited to investigate such matters.
The best example was seen in the last week’s press conference when the Internal Affairs Minister, Gen Jeje Odongo and the Inspector General of Police, Martins Okoth Ochola failed to answer questions from journalists about the whereabouts of the people abducted by the security.
The Political Commissar of Police Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Asan Kasingye while speaking during a news interview on CBS FM agreed that Police are aware of some abductions. He however said that the way people are abducted is too unprofessional.
“If someone committed a crime and you are sent to arrest him/her whether in Uniform or not you must display your identity card, after you inform that someone that I’m arresting you because I suspect you to have committed such and such crime. When you reach the Police station you write that person in the station book and is free to communicate with the relatives,” he said.
Following the public outcry towards the increasing abductions, on Monday the deputy police chief Maj. Gen Paul Lokech directed the Director of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) AIGP Grace Akullo and her Crime Intelligence counterpart, AIGP Chris Serunjoji Damulira to investigate the matter of the increasing abductions and report back to him.
“I have instructed our people, the Director of CID and the Director of Crime Intelligence to give me the list of anybody who has been arrested and is in the cells of any of our security agencies,” he said.
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