A BITTER war of words has erupted between a Jinja City based senior cardiologist Dr. Charles Michael Karimbaka and the Njeru DPC SP Edith Basalirwa over the whereabouts of his family members including wife and three children.
Dr. Karimbaka, 45, accuses Basalirwa and the Njeru Officer in Charge (OC) of Child and Family Protection Unit (CFPU) John Mugerwa, among others at the station of using a trump-up charge of Domestic Violence to extort money from him.
‘…the Njeru police killed my 15 year marriage, took my children to unknown place; thus have got them from school…Mr. Mugerwa and the DPC know where my children are…”reads some of the messages from Karimbaka who has also posted the incident on his Facebook account.
However, the DPC Njeru SP Edith Basalirwa who confirmed the arrest of Karimbaka over an alleged Domestic Violence case that was lodged at the CFPU scoffed at the allegation as baseless and diversionary.
“…I came in as the supervisor, otherwise he has a case, and as police we cannot sit and watch when there is an issue of criminality like domestic violence many which have ended in fatalities…”, Basalirwa said.
Basalirwa challenged Dr. Karimbaka to report the matter of alleged payment of 300,000/- for a police bond to the Police Professional Unit (PSU) if indeed he has any evidence.
“…if he has any other issue let him report me to the Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU) instead of merely yelling with no truth in the mouth…”, the equally combative Basalirwa hit back in a telephone interview.
Dr. Karimbaka whose parts of the CV reads as having a Master’s Degree in cardiology from Novosibirsk State Medical University 2018 in Russia. He had earlier in 2007 obtained a Bachelor’s degree in General Surgery also from a Russian based University.
According to his facebook account, Dr. Karimbaka is an author, motivator, mentor and life skills coach who has facilitated in a number of training workshops and seminars including the UPDF.
Background:
Just to put it in the proper perspective, Dr. Karimbaka who says he has a number of ‘engagements’ with the UPDF was arrested on 18 September, 2023 and detained for two days after his wife Priska Kedembe, 40 lodged a complaint of assault (Domestic Violence) at the police.
Before the arrest, reports say the wife (Priska Kedembe) had attempted to commit suicide at the Njeru-based National Defense Colllege, Uganda (NDCU) to ‘escape’ the trauma triggered by the endless bartering of the doctor husband.
It’s further reported that some visibly alert UPDF soldiers almost released the trigger at Kedembe whose actions were weird, suspecting her of being an agent of terrorists disguised as a lunatic to blow up the very sensitive installation.
Sensing danger, Kedembe reportedly shouted to present her woes to the soldiers who calmed down and called the Njeru Police Station for immediate intervention to handle the matter.
At the Njeru CPS some overzealous cops wanted to slap the charge of attempted suicide but after hearing her side of the story, the matter was forwarded to the CFPU where a case of Domestic Violence was opened up against Karimbaka.
In her statement, Kedembe narrated her ordeal to the cops on how she has endured both physical and emotional abuses like bartering and insults by the supposed husband who degraded her to a sub human, always threatening to kill her.
Police Vs Karimbaka Versions:
While Karimbaka claims he was violently arrested and handcuffed like a chicken thief and dumped onto the truck, the police at Njeru dispute saying it was a cordial interaction and the man peacefully entered the truck up to the station.
He has no kind words for the top Njeru police managers but specifically singled out Mugerwa whom he accused of extortion and facilitating the alleged disappearance of his wife.
Without any history of violence in my home for 15 years, I only saw the police who handcuffed me like a chicken thief and walked me to the car and dumped me into the cells…”, the soft speaking Karimbaka who broke down in tears during an interview narrated .
A case of Domestic Violence with reference number 84/18//9/2023 has been registered at the Njeru Police.
Asked why the file has not been forwarded to the Resident State Attorney for advice, Mugerwa who said he has just lost his father said family matters involving a wife and husband are not always rushed.
“…we usually give couples ample time for tempers to cool down so that they try to reasonably engage with close family members and friends in a bid to reach a peaceful resolution…”, he said in a telephone interview.
On allegations that he received 300,000/= as a condition for the police bond which is supposed to be free, Mugerwa simply laughed and described Karimbaka as a man with some mental health problems requiring counseling.
He wondered how Karimbaka who even failed to give money for medical treatment to his badly battered wife could afford 300,000/- and quickly added that the medical doctor is seeking public sympathy to cover up his back.
Karimbaka vs In Laws:
The in-laws have no kind words for Karimbaka claiming their daughter has been living in hell and suffering quietly for fear of shaming the husband while desperately trying to keep the marriage for the sake of their three children who are all at primary level of education.
According to one of the relatives, they decided to take full responsibility to rebuild the life of their sister who is physically and emotionally weak after years of suffering.
They say she is currently undergoing counseling and medical treatment at the western based Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) and vowed that she will never return to Karimbaka whom they described as a monster of a man.
The relatives have vowed to teach Dr. Karimbaka a lesson of his life by throwing him to the jail where he will rot for years because there is adequate evidence to secure a conviction in the courts of law.
On the other hand, Karimbaka accuses his in-laws of arrogance and wanting to use their sister as an ATM to mint money from him under the pretext of child care, something he will not accept.
On relatives using the simile describing him as ‘poor as a church mouse’, Dr. Karimbaka says he buys feeds worth millions for his birds, pigs and pays fees for his children at the prestigious Buckley High School and Iganga Boys Primary School.
he, added my children went to Alpha Academy, Jinja for there nursery not everyone can afford there fees and I rode them myself to school for the three years before l took them to boarding where l drove them myself too.
What you need to know:
Novosibirsk State University is a medical university in Novosibirsk, Moscow Russia, for training doctors. It was established in 1935.Until 1999 it was known as the Novosibirsk Medical Institute.
From 1999 to 2005 it was the Novosibirsk State Medical Academy. In 2005 it was renamed Novosibirsk State Medical University.
It offers a six year medical degree course in English that includes five years of MBBS course and one year of internship.
What is NDC Uganda?
NDC Uganda is a National Security and Strategic studies training and educational institution dedicated to providing advanced military and strategic training to high-ranking military and civilian officers in Uganda.
According to the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs website, Maj Gen Francis Okello is the Commandant of NDC Uganda, situated in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe district.
Its objective is to produce graduates in strategic leadership to government on national and international security matters and its intended to be an institute of excellence on defense, security and national development.
Professional Standards Unit (PSU)
The PSU was created in July 2007 as a new unit within the Uganda Police Force. The driving rationale behind the creation of this unit was the need to respond to critical issues of corruption, human rights abuse and professional misconduct in the police. It was also to answer the question of ‘whereas UPF polices the public, who polices the UPF?’with reference to Section 70 of the Police Act CAP 303 as amended.
Headquartered at Bukoto, a plush suburb near Kampala, PSU is currently headed by the amiable Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP) Sarah Kibwika who was appointed on 15 April, 2020 to replace her rank mate William Okalany who was redeployed to the Directorate of Human Rights and Legal Services.
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