By Andrew Irumba
The officer in-charge of Bulenga Police Post, Ms. Lillian Birabwa, has been suspended in connection with allegations of failing to arrest the killers of former Buyende District Police Commander Muhammed Kirumira.
A letter signed by Moses Balimwoyo, the Police Director for Human Resource directed Ms Birabwa to report to the Police’s Professional Standards Unit pending investigations.
“ASP Lillian Birabwa from Wakiso is suspended and referred to PSU pending investigations. ASP John Byamugisha moves from Entebbe to Wakiso as OC Bulenga,” the letter reads in part.
Kirumira, a fierce critic of the police leadership under General Kale Kayihura was gunned down alongside his friend Resty Nalinya near his home in Bulenga, Wakiso District, on September 8. President Museveni has since commended CMI for arresting the suspects during a joint security raid last week in Namungoona.
Ms Birabwa is faulted for failing to spot the attackers who reportedly shot dead Kirumira a few metres from the police post in Gogonya zone B, Wakiso District.
President Museveni, while addressing a press conference later about the murder, revealed that when he tasked the OC over the matter, she explained that she did not hear the gunshots because of the noise from the nearby Pentecostal church.
A 47 yr old carpenter was early this month arraigned before the Wakiso Magistrate’s Court and charged with the murder of former Buyende District Police Commander and his friend Resty Naalinya.
Abubaker Kalungi, who is a resident of Mirimu Zone in Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District, was brought to the court in a double cabin pickup under heavy army escort.
He was then arraigned before Grade One Magistrate Martin Kirya who read for him the two murder counts; one for killing Kirumira and the other for killing Naalinya.
It was not immediately revealed where the suspect had been arrested from. However, highly placed sources close to the investigation said the suspect is among the nine who were arrested during a joint security raid last week in Namungoona, Lubaga Division, in Kampala.
During the raid, one Abdul Kateregga, who police later said was the mastermind of the Kirumira assassination plot, was killed.
Security sources further revealed that Kalungi was charged after he was taken to the scene of crime in Bulenga Town on Monday to reconstruct the murder scene from where he is reported to have left the investigating officers in no doubt that he was part of the killers.
This is because, security sources added, he was perfect in reconstructing the murder scene. He allegedly showed investigators the path leading to Kirumira’s home, shops and kiosks from where the deceased regularly bought items like airtime.
