Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and others from the police Professional Standards Unit (PSU), have pinned their colleagues over the shooting of a couple in Wakiso district that later resulted in the demise of a mother to a 4-year-old boy.
Police headquarters ordered the probe after two Counter-Terrorism police constables, Elisah Muhumuza and Evaline Akello, claimed that they were forced to fire bullets into an Isuzu Elf truck UAJ 758D, after its driver attempted to intentionally knock them off the road at Bukasa trading center, Bukasa parish, Wakiso sub-county.
Muhumuza and Akello who were deployed to guard Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA equipment claimed that on September 28th this year, Eriya Tamale while driving the truck, parked near the road construction infrastructure but when they attempted to question him, he decided to run them over.
“We took interest when we saw an Isuzu Elf parked at the road construction infrastructure. These people decided to knock us and then drove away. We pursued the Isuzu and told the driver to stop but he declined,” the two police officers claimed in their statements at Wakiso police station.
However, the homicide and professional conduct teams have since established that there was no confrontation based on 11 witness accounts. The findings indicate that Muhumuza and Akello started the provocation towards Tamale who was in the Isuzu Elf with his wife Viola Nansereko, and their son Louis Kawuki.
“The couple had their 4-year-old son whom they had picked from Hope Children Centre in Temangalo. PC Muhumuza and PC Akello pursued the vehicle up to Bukasa trading center. Out of fear and panic, Tamale brushed the officers’ vehicle as he parked and then run away. PC Muhumuza and PC Akello disembarked their Toyota Hiace UBJ 885Q, and then fired several bullets inside the Isuzu Elf,” the homicide report reads.
From the shooting, Nansereko who had remained in the vehicle was hit by a bullet that penetrated through the right eye. The boy also sustained minor injuries in the right arm.
Nansereko was rushed to Mulago hospital where she spent 12 days and then succumbed to the injuries. Quoting the report, Senior Commissioner of Police, Fred Enanga, said PC Muhumuza and PC Akello’s action are devastating in that an innocent life was lost.
“We acknowledge the impact of this tragedy, and do extend our sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones. We strongly condemn the act and also issue a very stern warning to all police officers, against shooting at moving vehicles, if they do not pose an imminent threat,” Enanga said.
Media understands that detectives have ruled out claims of having acted in a rush or negligence which would see them have a ‘lighter’ case like ASP Coleb Asiimwe, the OC Mbalala police post who shot and killed a 15-year-old girl on New Year’s night celebrations.
ASP Asiimwe was charged in Mukono Chief Magistrate’s court and quickly released on bail. Rush and negligence offences attract a jail term not exceeding seven years or a fine not exceeding seventy thousand shillings or both. But with a full murder trial, PC Muhumuza and PC Akello could earn themselves life imprisonment.
