Following too much pressure exerted on the Uganda Police Force to find out who beat up Emmanuel Tegu, the deceased 24-year-old Makerere University student, the force’s Spokesperson Fred Enanga has released a more detailed statement.
According to the press statement, the deceased was violently beaten on 27th June 2020, after which he sustained life threatening injuries that eventually led to his death at Mulago Hospital, Kiruddu.
Enanga further explained that the deceased was thumped with metallic chairs by three Centenary Bank security guards who were later joined by youthful Makerere residents after mistaking him to be a thief.
“The prevailing facts indicate that on 27.06.2020, the victim left his sister Rachael Ariongeti’s home, at Namungoona where he also stayed with his brother Sam Okwalinga, and proceeded to his church at Makerere. He did not return home, but in the evening at around 10pm, he was found by PC Mukose Farouk who was on routine patrol behind the main building near the water tank. The officer attempted to inquire about who he was and what he was doing at such an ordinary hour, out in the cold. He appeared erratic and responded by throwing stones at the officer, who fired three shots in the air to scare the victim but kept charging at him. This forced the officer to withdraw and communicated to his supervisor.” The statement reads in part.
“The victim ran towards St Augustine church and Centenary bank, where he charged at the three private security guards but was overpowered. They hit him using the metallic chairs from the visitor’s tent, and it’s at this stage that he cried out for help, which attracted about 10-15 residents from Zone 1 and West road quarters around Lumumba hall. Among the responders were a few youth who joined the private security guards and violently assaulted the victim, whom they suspected to be a thief.” The statement reads further.
The Police have reportedly arrested four suspects so far whose actions were supported by the postmortem report. The suspects include; Oigu Charles; a 34 year old Area Councilor; NyekoBalam, a 33 year old security guard; Kakuru Johnson, a 24 year old resident of Makerere and Sekitoleko Moses, a 21 year old resident of Makerere.
“Their actions were supported by the post mortem report which revealed the cause of death as blunt force trauma, due to open wounds along the back, multiple cane marks on the back of the right elbow and abrasions along the abdomen and the entire back of the victim.” The statement reads.
Apparently, the Chaplain of St Augustine Church Makerere intervened and the private guards and residents stopped torturing Tegu. The chaplain alerted police who instantly showed up and took the deceased to Mulago Hospital.
“The following day of 28.06.2020, he was traced at the hospital by his brother and discharged on 29.06.2020. While at home, the victim’s condition started deteriorating and he was taken to Mild May Clinic, Sseguku on 30.06.2020, to his personal doctor, Dr Arinda Anita who was treating his bipolar condition since 2018. She referred them to a specialist at Rubaga Hospital, to check if there was a problem with his kidney, since he was not passing urine. At Rubaga Hospital, he was further referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kiruddu where he died on 3.07.2020.” Enanga’s statement adds.
“The task team has established that about three private security guards of SGA and seven others, who responded to the alarm, were behind the violent assault of the victim. The scene was reconstructed and a few key pieces of evidence including CCTV footage from St Augustine Church, metallic chairs from the visitors’ tent at the banks which were used as a weapon against the victim, a wire rod and relevant witness statements recorded.” Reads the Police statement.
According to Enanga, it is not true that police management blocked media requests to access the CCTV footages and he has further advised them to work with the church since it is a private footage.
