By Andrew Irumba
Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen.Edward Kalekezi Kayihura, together with a number of other senior police officers have been dragged to the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking for intervention in crimes allegedly committed by the group which among others include kidnap and repatriation of Rwandan refugees.
Gen.Kayihura was in June arrested by the army and detained at the Makindye military barracks before being charged with aiding and abetting subordinate police officers to kidnap and illegally repatriate Rwandan exiles, refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda.
However, in a complaint/petition by a group of people identifying themselves as victims of crimes against humanity committed, Gen.Kayihura is accused together with a number of senior police officers of committing crimes against the complainants and others not mentioned.
“We the victims of crimes against humanity committed by the above-mentioned individuals and many more that will be mentioned in this document approach your office seeking to investigate and prosecute criminals involved in gross violations human rights,” reads in part the petition forwarded to Information and Evidence Unit of the chief prosecutor of the ICC, Fatou Bensouda.
The petition mentions over 30 people kidnapped and repatriated to Rwanda whereas others according to the group were allegedly killed after the kidnaps.
The alleged victims point out a number of people they accuse of being behind the atrocities and crimes against humanity on the Rwandan refugees in Uganda.
The petition cites; Gen. Kayihura ,SCP Joel Aguma, ACP Jonathan Baroza, CP Ismail Baguma (Police attaché at the Rwandan embassy in Kampala),SSP Nixon Agasiirwe Karuhanga,ASP Fred Tumuhirwe ,Faizal Katende ,Wilson Atekateka, Julius Kasinguzi, Fox Kyanda, Abel Kitagenda,Abel Twijukye, Alex Katungi, Rutagungira Rene and Mohamood Matovu as the people behind the missions to kidnap and repatriate refugees to Rwanda.
A number of the people mentioned in the petition have since been arrested and are currently battling cases of kidnap and forceful repatriation of Lt.Joel Mutabazi, a former bodyguard to Rwandan president Paul Kagame in 2013.
The charges are before the General Court Martial.
The petitioners say their case is based on the fact that the crimes like murder, deportation and torture and torture among others committed by the mentioned officers are tried by the ICC.
“The fact that individuals suspected to have committed these crimes originate from two countries Uganda and Rwanda and are high ranking police officials entrusted with protecting and enforcing the law and a fact that there is no political will to give justice to victims by both these governments further qualifies the case to the ICC.”
“After failing to get justice in Uganda, we made effort to file a petition with the Ugandan parliament but threats and an attack was made to members of the community,” the petitioners add.
The group also says they have three witnesses including Ali Kabanda, a former police officer, Isa Arinaitwe, a former operative with the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and Joseph Ssegujja, formerly with Uganda Police Force.
All the mentioned witnesses have since fled the country following threats on their lives.
The group of alleged victims of kidnap and repatriation want the International Criminal Court to investigate and start proceedings against the said group of police officers.
