Court orders government to pay Shs 1. 7 billion to tortured suspects

The Highcourt in Kampala has ordered government to pay 80 million shillings to 22 people each who were arrested in connection to the murder of former AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi for torture while in custody.

Justice Margaret Oguli-Oumo has made the order this afternoon after satisfying herself with evidence of these suspects showing that their funamental rights to freedom from torture and inhumane degrading conditions were violated by both police and UPDF officers.

The judge has also based her ruling on a report by the African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of torture victims which examined 19 suspects and found out that they suffer from both physical and psychological impairments for which they have never been treated for.

Justice Oguli has ruled that the suspected were violently and forcifully arrested by military personnel and unlawfully detained in military custody before being remanded to police cells even after being charged before Nakawa court and an order to formally be remanded to Luzira prison.

However the judge has declined to grant an order releasing the suspects saying they still have pending charges before a competent court.