Fresh details emerge in Timbitwire case

KAMPALA, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | Fresh details have emerged in the case in which a woman, Mercy Timbitwire, was remanded for slapping a traffic policeman Charles Makawa.

The viral video, which captured Timbitwire slapping Makawa, sparked significant public interest and scrutiny.

A woman who identified herself as Jane said Makawa pursued Timbitwire on a motorcycle until she parked at Lugogo. Makawa, according to Jane, was the first to confront Timbitwire who used a phone to take his picture as she asked him why he was trailing her.

At that moment, Makawa was plucking off the vehicle number plate without justification. To stop Timbitwire from taking his picture and the name tag, Makawa grabbed Timbitwire’s phone.

After a heated exchange, Timbitwire decided to go physical demanding that the traffic policeman give her the mobile phone he had forcefully taken. However, Jane said despite Timbitwire going physical, Makawa did not fight back.

Makawa says that he pursued Timbitwire after he received an alert that she was driving erratically. “I got information that she was driving erratically. When I tried to stop her, she was already committing another traffic offence by speaking on a mobile phone while driving. I decided to follow her,” Makawa said.

Michael Kananura, the traffic police spokesperson, said it is wrong for any driver not to obey traffic rules such as stopping when waved down by a policeman.

Kananura said every Ugandan knows the duties of police officers and there are always reasons why a policeman stops someone on the road.

Kananura said the traffic officer stopped the motorist after receiving information that she was driving carelessly. However, Timbitwire did not stop because she was committing another traffic offence of using a phone while driving.

The traffic police said their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) stress that a traffic officer must tell the driver the offence he or she has committed and the attached penalties. However, if the traffic police officer stops the driver from committing a serious traffic offence or a criminal incident, he or she is supposed to deliver the driver to the agent handling the alleged crimes.

Timbitwire has been criticized for going physical on an officer who was executing lawful duties. She is currently on remand after being charged with counts of attempted robbery of police EPS gadgets and mobile phones belonging to Makawa.

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