Police Drop Charges Against DPC Kirumira After Lack of Evidence

Police have dropped two charges of torture and unlawful use of excessive use of authority against Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Muhammad Kirumira, the former Buyende DPC, due to lack of sufficient evidence.

On Thursday, Kirumira was arraigned before court for mention of his charges. However, Police prosecutor, Katherine Kusemererwa said that she did not have sufficient evidence to convict Kirumira and subsequently dropped two of the eight charges.

Kusemererwa stated that one of the witnesses against the accused, Milton Tumusiime, a journalist had revealed that he has never interviewed Kirumira and threatened violence if forced in the dock.

Denis Odongpiny, the Chairman of the Police court said there was no way prosecution would proceed with the case without witnesses.

Kirumira who spoke to journalists earlier on Thursday from inside of a police van moments before the court was in session, reiterated that he was innocent and claimed that the witnesses against him were mere criminals.

“They have no case against me. The witnesses they [Police] claim to have are Kifeesi criminals,” Kirumira said.

Mr Kirumira was arrested from his home in Bulenga last week after he threatened to resign from Police over what he called mistreatment and concocted charges to tarnish his hard earned reputation. He was later transfered to the notorious Nalufenya Police detention facility in Jinja district.

Police said that Kirumira’s act of announcing his resignation in the media was “gross indiscipline.”