By Spy Uganda
A policeman and a Local Council Secretary were on Monday remanded to Luzira Prison for allegedly torturing a pregnant woman under the guise of enforcing Presidential directives on night curfew over the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Francis Mpande, a policeman attached to Kibumbiro Police Post, and Junior Asiimwe, a local council secretary for defence, appeared before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court over aggravated.
They denied the charges and the Chief Magistrate, Ms Miriam Akello, remanded them to Luzira prison until April 27.
The State Attorney, Ivan Kyazze, told court that investigations into the case were still ongoing.
The suspects were arrested on Saturday over allegations of using excessive force on a pregnant woman identified as Mercy Nakate, whom they tortured after accusing her of defying the President’s orders against gathering in bars and public spaces.
Nakate, 23, a resident of Busega, Kibumbiro Village in Busega in Rubaga Division was reportedly beaten on March 27 by a group of policemen and local defence personnel who were patrolling the area.
It is alleged that on the night she was tortured, Nakate had moved out of her house to buy herbs when it rained, which forced her to take shelter in a makeshift socialisation facility, where the suspects rounded her up with others and tortured them.
The suspects were later arrested on President Yoweri Museveni’s orders after Nakate filed her complaint with the Office of the President.
The President consequently directed the Head of State House Anti-corruption Unit, Lt Col Edith Nakalema, to investigate the matter and she dispatched a team which promptly arrested the suspects.
It should be noted that during his national address about Coronavirus last Friday, Museveni directed security forces, to wit LDU, UPDF and Uganda police to desist from torturing Ugandans under the guise of implementing his COVID-19 directives.
So far several policemen, LDU operatives and UPDF soldiers have been arrested from various parts of the country over allegations of torturing Ugandans under the guise of implementing Presidential Directives on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
