The former Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) Superintendent of Police (SP) Aaron Baguma, who is indicted over the murder of Donah Betty Katushabe over a Shs9m debt, is being shielded by the State, the deceased’s family has said.
According a local daily the family, in a letter dated July 18, confirmed asking Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for assistance in tracking down Mr Baguma who was early this week relieved of his duties at CPS by Police chief Gen Kale Kayihura.
‘Upon follow-up we got information that several orders have been issued to have the DPC of Central Police Station (CPS) Kampala Aaron Baguma produced in court for trial but police never comply with the above directives. We trust that proper prosecution shall be conducted for justice to be done as we are witnesses’, the newspaper reported today.
The death of Katushabe, who was killed at the Pine car depot in Nakasero in the Central Business District, reportedly exposed a racket of corrupt and dangerous cops at CPS that was keen to ‘kill’ the widely-publicised case.
And mid this year the DPP spokesperson Jane Okuo Kajuga said Baguma had been indicted for murder because he allegedly abetted the murder of Katushabe.
Mr Baguma has since December been sought by the DPP, who on December 18 last year wrote to the Resident State Attorney at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court, directing that Mr Baguma be jointly charged with Muhammed Ssebuwufu, the proprietor of Pine car depot, who has already been charged with Katushabe’s murder.
But contacted for comment today, police spokesperson Fred Enanga refuted the family claims, saying that the institution had acted objectively and transparently in the matter. He noted that there had been engagements between the various parties and, citing the possibility of witch hunt, Mr Enanga said that Baguma had instead ‘protected’ the investigation from distortions, a development that was brought to the attention of the Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura.
Further, Mr Enanga said: “the DPP is reviewing that file and it is not yet returned; if it has it will be brought to the attention of management.”
Previously, the Prosecution had averred that Mr Baguma went to the scene of murder, a few metres away from his duty station at Central Police Station, found the deceased being beaten by the accused persons and despite her pleadings to him to rescue her from her tormentors, he simply asked her to pay Ssebuwufu’s debt. It is stated that Baguma left the place and Katushabe was killed shortly after.
Under the Penal Code section 188 and 189 any person found guilty of murder is liable to death sentence upon conviction.
