A senior officer at the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) is among the nine suspects arrested in connection with the murder of former Buyende District Police Muhammad Kirumira. Kirumira, a fierce critic of the police leadership under General Kale Kayihura, was gunned down alongside his friend Resty Nalinya near his home in Bulenga, Wakiso District, on September 8.
And now it has emerged that the arrested officer’s name was mentioned in many eyewitness accounts that were recorded by a joint investigation team comprising Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) operatives and those of CID. A total of 10 witnesses have recorded statements.
Source privy to the investigations but who preferred anonymity told this website that the officer used to work under Kirumira when he was DPC Old Kampala Police division.
The source added that the deceased had intimidated the friends, some of whom are the witnesses, that the officer was among those that used to trail him for unclear reasons.
Investigators reportedly wrote to Old Kampala DPC Charles Nsaba, directing him to deliver his junior officer to CMI and he obliged.
Sources added several witnesses and suspects have recorded statements and been left to go home but some have been detained, ostensibly because of the sensitive information they are giving to investigators.
The key suspects, who had been incarcerated at CMI headquarters in Mbuya, were on Wednesday transferred to Makindye Military barracks.
Kirumira had on several occasions indicated that his life was in danger and several of his acquaintances have since recorded statements either as witnesses or suspects.
The investigation, sources said, is so sensitive that the President has demanded a regular update on the progress.
Asked whether they are making any headway on arresting the ringleaders in Kirumira’s murder, police spokesperson Emilian Kayima declined to reveal anything, saying it will jeopardise investigations.
Vincent Sekate, the CID spokesman, had earlier refused to comment on the matter and referred us to Kayima.
Sources said some of the suspects have been taken to the crime scene to reportedly reconstruct the scene but no details could be provided at the time.
