The police have contested allegations by former sports journalist Joseph Kabuleta that he was tortured during his four day detention at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka.
He was arrested on Friday last week by plain clothed detectives from Drew and Jacs in Lugogo Forest Mall and bundled into a Toyota Wish Motor vehicle registration number UBB 459D.
According to the police, he is accused of posting offensive messages on Facebook in which he allegedly referred to President Yoweri Museveni as a ‘gambler, thief and liar’.
He was released on Tuesday on Police bond.
Speaking for the first time since he was released following four days of incarceration at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka, Kabuleta, a pastor of Watchman Ministries, also said he felt it was unfair that he was tortured for telling the truth.
Speaking to journalists yesterday at his office at Rwenzori Towers in Kampala Kabuleta, a pastor of Watchman Ministries said he had been tortured while in detention.
“They got a pipe and drenched me in water until I was totally wet. That was the shower. They then stripped me to my underpants. They slapped me until my nose was bleeding. They made me stand for two and half nights without any sleep and at times I would be ordered to ‘stand on my hands and they cuffed my hands and legs throughout,” he said.
“The gentleman who slapped me (until my nose started bleeding) took pictures of me on his phone in that state and apparently sent them to someone who wanted to see me in that state,” he added.
Another gentlemen then told him they had orders to record an apology from him.
“He told me ‘We want you to apologise for offending the first family and from now onwards, respect Generals especially General Muhoozi (Kainerugaba). I am not saying anything that is untrue, I felt that was unfair,” he says.
But CID spokesperson Charles Atwiine said torture had never been a policy by the UPF in order to get information from suspects and all police officers were aware of it.
“The Special Investigations Directorate is headed by sober and disciplined officers and it can never be true that he was tortured with their knowledge as he claims. As far as I’m concerned he was not tortured,” he explained.
Kabuleta is required to appear before police when summoned.
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