State Minister for Internal Affairs, Obiga Kania yesterday left a section of Parliament in disbelief as he narrated the arrest ordeal of Mityana Municipality legislator, Hon. Francis Zaake.
Kania said it is true that Zaake was arrested by Police upon receiving information that the legislator was distributing food items in the manner that was against the Presidential COVID-19 restrictions.
“On April 19, 2020, at around 1500hrs, the Regional Police Commander (RPC) SSP Kagarura Bob upon receiving information that Hon. Zaake was distributing food items, and seeing photos on social media platforms sent the DPC Mityana SP Mwine Mukono to check in the village of Buswabulongo where it is alleged the food items were being distributed,” Kania told Parliament.
The minister, however, revealed that the DPC did not find any food being distributed and he reported his findings back to the RPC.
“At around 17:30hrs, the DPC received instructions from the RPC to mobilize manpower and proceed to the residence of Hon. Zaake. The DPC mobilized manpower and was later joined by RPC and six UPDF personnel from the office of RDC,” Kania said.
He added, “Hon. Zaake was arrested by a combined Police force led by the RPC and DPC from his residence at Buswabulongo village, Mityana Municipality in Mityana District on allegations of disobedience of lawful orders and negligent acts likely to spread infectious disease vide.”
Kania admitted that Zaake was put in Police detention at Special Investigations Division (SID) Kireka with injuries but attributed them to the various scuffles the legislator had with officers.
“When Hon. Zaake was being removed from the cell of Mityana to Kampala, there was a scuffle between him and the Police when he was being handcuffed at the counter.
“According to the statement of the car commander, Hon. Zaake kept on knocking himself on the metals of the Police pick-up truck. It is probable that these injuries were as a result of the knocking,” he said.