Senior Police Officer Arrested Over Shot Protester

By Fred Kiva

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Justus Bwire, the officer in charge Kironde Police Post in Rubaga Division has been arrested over death of a protester shot by police during Tuesday morning riots.

Bwire was in command of officers who went to quell an illegal protest on along Wankulukuku Road, where one of the protesters David Kibuuka was shot and injured.

According to Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, Kibuuka who is also the Kabowa area Publicist, was rushed to Mulago hospital by officers. He was declared dead on arrival.

“ASP Justus Bwire who led the police team has been arrested and detained at Old Kampala Police Division as investigations continue,” Owoyesigyire said. He added: “Our teams have been sent back to the crime scene to collect evidence that is important in the investigations.”

It’s not clear who exactly shot at Kibuuka, but Owoyesigyire explains that “residents protesting closure of a community road” ignored police orders to disperse prompting one of the officers to fire bullets at them and in the process injuring the deceased.

Kibuuka’s body has been taken for postmortem. It’s alleged that residents were demonstrating against alleged blockade of drainage channels by a factory causing flooding in the area.