KAMPALA: The head of the police force has told the police stations on the Namboole side of the Northern Bypass to find and arrest everyone who helped strip and film the private parts of four robbery suspects, especially the two women, who were on the run.
Senior Commissioner of Police, Fred Enanga, has said they have received numerous voices from the public condemning the acts of the crowds that stripped, filmed and took pictures of the private parts of the suspects in an incident that happened on Wednesday last week at Ntebetebe village, along the Northern Bypass in Kira Municipality.
Enanga said that the suspects, who have since been identified as Benjamin Seruyange, 30, and Jonas Kanyike, 27, both of Namungoona, Lubaga division in Kampala, Everine Busingye, 30, a bartender in Kyambogo, Nakawa division, and Mercy Namyalo, a resident of Kibuye, Makindye division, deserved respect.
Although the incident happened on Wednesday, the videos of the crowd mostly forcing women to spread their legs as they were filmed went viral on Friday and Saturday. Two naked male suspects were dumped in a swamp while the crowd continuously beat and filmed two women. When the female suspects refused to show their private parts when they were told to, the crowd would cane them.
Enanga said police have preferred charges of aggravated robbery against the four suspects since one of them who escaped reportedly had a firearm. He added that the people who participated in the undressing, beating, and filming need to also face charges of assault and grievous harm.
A report made by Kireka police station commander, ASP Ezra Asiimwe, indicated that the suspects who were allegedly driving a Toyota Hiace UBD 071P blocked Edward Himbisa, who was driving a Toyota Probox UBK 019L, at around 9:30 am.
One of the suspects entered the car purposely to drive it away, but the owner, Himbisa, who had moved out with the key, locked him inside and made an alarm that attracted the crown.
The other suspects entered their car to run away, but Himbisa made an alarm pointing to the direction the Toyota Hiace was taking and they were blocked. That was how they ended up being beaten, stripped, and filmed.