Police hold six suspected FDC supporters

SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 4 OCTOBER 2012

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Police+hold+six+suspected+FDC+supporters/-/688334/1524222/-/4ti6ysz/-/index.html

IN SUMMARY

The suspects accused of inciting violence and unlawful assembly

KAMPALA

Police have detained six suspected Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) supporters as detectives continue to suggest that the party’s president, Dr Kizza Besigye, is linked to an as-yet-undefined new rebel group.

Dr Besigye has, however, strongly denied all attempts by the government to associate him to armed rebellion, dismissing the fresh claim as the usual tactics by the regime intended to intimidate its opponents.

Mr Hitler Kamanyisa, Mr Michael Mayanja, Mr Moses Muwonge, Mr Yasin Matsiko and Mr Richard Katsigazi, are detained at Mbarara Central Police Station while one is detained at Kawempe Police Station in Kampala.

Deputy police spokesman Vincent Ssekate yesterday said the five arrested in Mbarara Municipality are facing charges of inciting violence and unlawful assembly. “It is true these people were detained after they were found inciting the public to riot. After their arrest, we recovered metallic objects they were going to use to attack the police,” Mr Ssekate said yesterday.

Another suspect at Kawempe Police Station is alleged to have been found in possession of six tear gas canisters. “One canister exploded as he was opening it and injured his hand in his house at Maganjo in Kampala,” Mr Ssekate said.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi, on Monday claimed that a group of people with firearms were to be used to kill people in the ‘Walk to Freedom protests. He, however, did not provide details about this allegation.

FDC senior member, Mr Omar Kalinge, has said the Mbarara suspects have suffered injuries on their limbs while in police custody and that the police has denied them access to their relatives, medicine and food. “We call for their immediate release as they have no case to answer. We also demand that before their orderly release, access to them be allowed, especially by members of their families and their lawyer,” he said.

The arrests come after the outlawed For God and My Country pressure group announced a fresh round of protests over the weekend ahead of the jubilee celebrations against corruption and suppression of basic freedoms by government. Dr Besigye and other opposition leaders were arrested on Monday on unclear offences, but were later released without a charge.