The Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura has suspended the head of criminal investigations Kampala Metropolitan over alleged failure to handle case files as expected.
Rebecca Namugenyi’s suspension and four of her subordinates is hinged on her failure to handle the file in which city tycoon Mohammed Ssebuufu is alleged to have murdered one Betty Katushabe over a car sale deal.
Speaking in an earlier interview with KFM, the deputy police spokesperson Polly Namaye said the officers failed to handle the file professionally as per the Police Act.
She explains that further investigation is being carried out regarding claims that the officers received bribes from the prime suspects.
The file has now been transferred from the Central Police Station to CID headquarters and it to be handled by the CIID chief Grace Akullo herself.
Three police detectives have been summoned to professional standards unit (PSU) for allegedly trying to compromise Sebuwufu’s case. Sources, have it that the three had registered the offence as assault instead of murder and had set the key suspect free. However, their plans hit a snag when the IGP ordered the suspect to be arrested and directed the Kampala Metropolitan Commander AIGP Abbas Byakagaba to investigate the three detectives.
Hajji Muhammed Ssebuufu, a car dealer is said to have subjected Katushabe to severe beating and torture causing her death.
Addressing a weekly news conference in Kampala, police spokesperson Mr Fred Enanga said preliminary postmortem results from the police indicate that Betty Dona Katushabe died of multiple coarse injuries.
“The probable postmortem results we have got have showed that Katushabe was treated to severe beating and torture by Sebuwufu’s aids. We are going to ensure that justice is served in this scenario,” Mr Enanga said.
Mr Enanga added that the police had already visited the deceased’s home in Kajjansi and Kikuubo market where Katushabe operated business to gather information that could be used as evidence when in court when hearing of the case starts.
“The key suspect (Sebuwufu) and his other three allies will be arraigned in court to battle charges of murder once the investigations are done,” Mr Enanga said.
Katushabe was allegedly kidnapped by Sebuwufu’s the gang and tortured in a vehicle for several hours till a one citizen alerted the police which came for her rescue. She was pronounced dead at Mulago Hospital where she had been rushed for treatment. Sebuwufu is said to have Katushabe after failing to clear a debt of Shs9m in respect of a vehicle she had made part payment on.
Story By Samuel Ssebuliba
