By Stephen Kalema
Maverick Mityana Municipality law maker Francis Zaake has challenged the police to prove he escaped from custody while he was unconsciousness. In the aftermath of the Arua Municipality by-elections in which several legislators were arrested and battered – including Zaake, President Museveni and police said he escaped from lawful custody.
“Hon Zaake escaped from police custody and the police is looking for him,” President Museveni said on August 19, in response to the fracas that saw a car belonging to the presidential convoy shattered. A day later, the police through its mouthpiece Emiliano Kayiima, also confirmed the President’s ‘escaping argument’ but could not reveal how the law maker escape from the highly guarded custody.
However, Zaake says he could not have escaped while unconscious.
While addressing journalists on Monday in Nalumunye during his first public engagememt, Zaake said; “I was beaten, tortured to the extent that I would feel no pain. I was taken to places unknown to me from the time when they got me from the hotel. They tortured me from the van I could not understand.”
Zaake narrates that from what his colleagues told him, he was taken to Arua Police Station.
“I dare to challenge the police to provide proof that I was any time admitted at Arua Hospital,” he said.
On the allegations that Zaake escaped from police custody, he said “there was no any way I would have escaped given the agonising state I was going through. This is a total lie it was totally difficult for me.”
The MP, who spent a couple of weeks in India under specialist treatment said he would ask the police to explain how he returned from Arua.
“I took my self to Arua together with Bobi Wine’s driver. For my case I only remember being pushed beneath a seat in a min bus after which I lost my consciousness until I got to Lubaga hospital.”
Zaake also demanded a comprehensive report pertaining to his escape and on the security officers who beat him.
Zaake and 30 other suspects including other law makers; Robert Kyagulanyi, Gerald Karuhanga, Paul Mwiru and Kassiano Wadri are facing charges of treason.
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