The four senior police officials sanctioned by the US government over violation of human rights have one thing in common: They featured prominently in a torture case filed by Mityana Municipality MP, Francis Zaake in 2020.
In May 2020, Zaake ran to the High Court accusing Bob Kagarura, former Wamala Regional Police Commander; Alex Mwine, former District Police Commander for Mityana District and Elly Womanya, former Senior Commissioner and Deputy Director of the UPF’s Criminal Investigations Division of torturing him. He also sued Twesigye Hamdan for participating in the torture.
Zaake had been arrested from his home in Mityana Municipality on April 19 on allegations that he was distributing food during the Covid-19 lockdown which police said endangered the lives of the people.
The legislator was bundled on a pick up like a sack of charcoal and in his words, pricked with a nail cutter. He also accused them of stealing Shs 15 million from his house.
After the ordeal, Zaake was admitted to Rubaga Hospital for two weeks.
Zaake later filed a case in the High Court where he revealed in detail how he had been tortured. He said the pain and suffering he endured during his arrest infringed on his fundamental right to dignity and freedom from torture.
The case did not proceed further. It is now believed that the US was forced to act after verifying some of Zaake’s claims.
Indeed, the US State Department noted that their decision followed “credible reports documenting the officers’ involvement in human rights abuses, supported by Ugandan civil court documents, investigations by civil society organizations, and independent journalistic inquiries.”
As a result of this designation, these individuals, along with their immediate family members, are now generally ineligible for entry into the United States.
The four officers now join Speaker Anita Among and former ministers Agnes Nandutu and Mary Goretti Kitutu who were blacklisted by the US in May 2024.
“These actions reflect our ongoing efforts to support human rights and promote accountability for those who commit abuses. The United States stands firmly with the people of Uganda in their pursuit of justice,” the US said in a statement.