The case in which Ugandan Police chief and his junior commanders are accused of brutalizing civilians has taken a new twist following reports that some of the prosecution lawyers revealed that they fear for their lives.
Top city lawyers Nicholas Opiyo and Daniel Walyemera told a local news agency that they have received threatening phone calls from unknown persons asking them to back off from the case.
General Kale Kayihura was sued and summoned to court over police officers involvement in the ruthless beating of former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Kizza Besigye’s supporters in Makindye in July.
However, on the day he was supposed to appear before the Makindye Chief Magistrate’s court, (August 10), a group of demonstrators held a procession in a show of solidarity with the police chief and threatened to lynch lawyers who had filed a case against the police chief.
Their actions have since been condemned by leaders across the political divide in the East African nation with Uganda’s Internal Affairs Minister, Jeje Odong saying their actions at the court were uncalled for.
One of the lawyers, Walyemera says he has received strange phone calls while his wife has been trailed by unknown persons. He says he has filed a complaint at the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC).
