A police officer attached to Naggalama police station, David Ssali, has admitted that he gunned down the handcuffed suspect, Ronald Ssebulime, saying he did so in order to save State Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Aida Nantaba’s life.
In a recorded voice call discussion between Ssali and Nantaba which Eagle Online has obtained, Ssali says he was deployed by district police commander (DPC) of Naggalama police station after Nantaba had just registered a complaint of assassins who were purported to be trailing her.
Ssali says they were later given police patrol 999 and the diver under the commander known as Afande Bamuzibire and set off for a deadly mission in Nagojje off Kampala- Kayunga high way.
Police last evening through its mouthpiece Fred Enanga acknowledged Ssebulime was illegally killed after days of denying. Enanga yesterday apologized for the earlier denials and said that police patrol in the area had told their superior lies.
Mr Sebulime laid to rest in Mityana district.
According Police Act 1994 (Part IX), any person who gives false information to police is liable to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year.
Below are the call details.
Ssali I am the police officer who commanded the operation but I don’t know when I will get to see you mummy (Nantaba).
Nantaba You will get to see me if God wishes, the minister replied
Ssali We got a phone from suspect who was riding the motorcycle but I handed it over to the Naggalama police and see if they can get a print out and see who they were talking to.
Nantaba Did you get the guns?
Ssali No we didn’t get them, we searched them everywhere but we failed. The gun man went through and got a boda-boda and fled the area. We were informed that the man who had a pistol saw us and bent down pretending to be taking water and we suddenly bypassed him.
No doubt, the people I chased had guns, and the passenger tried shooting at us and that is the truth and Iam ready to defend it.
Nantaba Can you call me when you get to CPS so that I avail you journalists for that story because the public is convicting you over the death of this man?
Ssali I cannot because I may be faulted for sharing such information.
Nantaba Don’t you think that your bosses will stop you from giving the truth? You would record the statement after giving this information to journalists.
Ssali If anyone argues, tell them that I will call for a police officer who commanded the operation.
Nantaba Don’t you think police officers will turn against you if there was a big name involved into this criminality?
Ssali Let me give you my boss’s number of group ‘Tight One’ he is called Bamuzibire and ask for permission to speak to me. Tell him that I want to speak to the police officer who was commanding the operation.
Nantaba Fine, since police has summoned you, go and make a statement.
Ssali First call that police officer, because he knows what happened on the ground, I called him and he drove from Kampala moments after killing that man. This is open, how many have been killed in this government? And whom have they ever arrested? They would have just lauded us for the work well done. We killed one of the two assassins who were going to take your life.
I will do what it takes so longer as they allow me to testify. Let me first record the statement if he allows, I will speak to journalists.
Nantaba I am asking you to speak to journalists because they may need that story. I have my good journalists whom you will speak to and take that testimony. You are under threat; first speak to journalists and that is how I think.
Ssali I will record my statement and photo copy it before handing it to Jinja police station. I will call you to show you a copy.