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The officer, Mr David Ulama of the Field Force Unit, told court presided over by Grade One Magistrate Fredy Ashoka Egesa that on April 5 while he was on deployment with a platoon of 36 officers at Kalerwe roundabout in Kampala at around 9am, Dr Besigye came in his car Toyota TX UAW 616W and that he was proceeding to the city centre.[2]
The 46-year old prosecution witness further told court that Dr Besigye had a procession and that he was standing atop the sun roof of his car with several boda boda following him before describing the atmosphere as being ‘chaotic’.
The police officer told court that he used the Bwaise roundabout along the Northern Bypass to drive towards Mulago, Kubbiri where he ordered another officer to block Besigye from proceeding to the Central Business District via Wandegeya.[3]
The witness told court that it was dangerous to allow Dr Besigye to go through the busy city as his movement could lead to chaos in places like Kisekka, St Balikuddembe and Mini Price in the city centre.[5]
He told court that Besigye then proceeded up to Mulago roundabout where the Wandegeya DPC ordered him to use Yusuf Lule road to Najjanankumbi where he was going but was admant.[4]
“In response, Dr Besigye asked him (DPC) whether he knew where he was heading. His driver then parked in the middle of the road and as this was going on, his supporters were pelting stones at police,” Mr Ulama told court.
Prosecution alleges that Dr Besigye on April 5, defied orders of the Wandegeya DPC Bamuzibire when he refused to use Yusuf Lule road to the party headquarters but insisted on going via Wandegeya and the city centre.[8]
During cross-examination that was led by Fredrick Mpanga, the police officer was asked whether it is one’s right not to obey unlawful orders and in response, he admitted that there is no law that bars anyone to move to any place in this country apart from the army barracks.[6]
Further in the cross-examination, the witness who had earlier told court that Dr Besigye was flashing the party’s V- sign which was wrong as it was exciting the populace, however, changed his statement saying he would not arrest him for mere flashing the V-sign.[7]
Magistrate Egesa then adjourned the hearing of the case to May 17 so that the prosecution brings more witnesses to testify against a top FDC leader.[9]
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Background
The case arose shortly after the Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura ordered his men to leave Dr Besigye’s Kasangati residence after camping there for more than 40 days to restrict his movements following his defiance words after he lost the February 18 polls to incumbent President Museveni. Dr Besigye was arrested by the police on his first day out near Mulago Roundabout on grounds that he led a procession which was not cleared by the police.[10] He was then whisked to Naggalama police station and released in the late hours of the night.[11]
Source: Monitor
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