KAMPALA: Police in Kampala have arrested the owner of a guest house in connection with a torture video involving a man wearing an NRM party shirt.
In the video that has since gone viral, a man appears to be tired with ropes and some men are seemingly torturing him using a hot plastic jerrycan.
According to police, the incident happened at Lovely Guest House, located in Katoogo, Gaba Parish in Makindye Division on March 26.
Police spokesman Fred Enanga said the victim is Brian Njuba, a 40-year-old plumber of Lungujja Rubaga Division, who was called by a group of people disguising as clients, who directed him to a room at Lovely Guest House, where he was tortured and left for dead.
“Upon arrival, he was called to Room 6, where the suspects immediately grabbed and stripped him naked. He was viciously tortured, his testicles tied with ropes, the mouth gagged using stockings, and parts of his body burnt using a hot plastic jerrycan. They robbed his mobile phone and left him for dead,” Enanga said on Monday.
He said the horrific act was carefully captured on video, where the faces of the assailants were concealed and the recorder of the video only managed to display a yellow T-shirt with “NRM” at the back, to reveal that the assailants subscribe to the NRM Party.
“We have further established that the suspect’s details, were not captured at the Guest House,” Enanga said.
As a result, both the owner of the Guest House, called Brian Mushabe, and Mercy Namagembe, the duty attendant, were arrested for further investigation, for flouting the security protocols, on guest registration.
According to Enanga, the victim said that he had zero connection with the strangers, which implies they completely chose him randomly, following adverts of his contacts on various poles and walls within the division.
“And even if it was not him, they would have called somebody else, whose contacts are openly displayed. Their act therefore, could be a pre-medicated smear campaign for political reasons or otherwise,” he added.
Enanga said the victim was rushed to Mulago Hospital for further medical attention and is progressing well.
“A serious manhunt for the suspects has already begun and we shall not rest until they are arrested and charged to court,” he added.