UPDF officers assaulted while enforcing COVID-19 guidelines

Kabale, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Two UPDF officers are nursing injuries at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital after being assaulted in a bar where they had gone to enforce the COVID-19 preventive guidelines. Kigezi Regional Police Spokesperson, Elly Maate identifies the injured soldiers as Stephen Okwi and Alex Arimpa, both attached to the UPDF detach in Maziba Sub-county Kabale District. 

It is alleged that the two soldiers left their detach around 10 pm on Christmas Eve together with others on their way to Nyanja police post for their routine patrol to enforce the COVID-19 guidelines and presidential directives under the command of Lt. Danson Ruwandana. However, upon reaching Nyanja trading center, they found some bars operating with many people inside. 

Okwi reportedly opened the door to the bar belonging to Bernard Orishaba as Arimpa stormed in to see what was going on. It is alleged that Orishaba pushed Okwi inside the bar and immediately locked the door and started assaulting him. His customers joined in and after a long fight, they managed to disarm Okwi. Arimpa allegedly tried to rescue his colleague but was hit by Orishaba’s wife with a bottle of soda in the face. 

He, however, managed to flee and notified his colleagues who had gone to another bar belonging to one Denis. The officers ran to rescue their colleagues were repulsed with stones and bottles.   According to Maate, the officers shot in the air to disperse the unruly revellers who were still assaulting Okwi. During the scuffle, a stray bullet injured his one of the revellers identified as Kaburi on the leg. Kaburi is also admitted at Kabale Regional Referral hospital. 

Maate says he soldiers managed to rescue Okwi who was seriously bleeding because of the assault. He was taken together with Arimpa to a nearby health center for treatment before they were referred transferred to Kabale Hospital Regional Referral Hospital for further management.

Maate says detectives from Kabale police station and Scene of Crime Officers visited the crime scene on Christmas to collect elect to aid the ongoing investigations. “Some two cartridges were recovered at the scene of crime and no arrest effected since the known suspects were not at their homes. Inquiries are still ongoing to establish the motive of the culprits,” Maate said.   

A case of “assault and malicious damage” has been registered at Kabale Police Station vide SD REF 05/24/12/2020 as investigations continue.

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