Sgt John Tumwesigye, the officer in charge (OC) of Nyanja police post in Maziba sub-county, Kabale district has been arrested for shooting dead a 35-year-old reveller Chris Twijomujuni in a bar. 

Tumwesigye, 59, and police constable, James Owomuhangi are currently being held at Kabale Central police station over allegations of shooting Twijomujuni of Rujogoma village in Ndorwa East county, Kabale district. Ann Twebaze, sister to the deceased and Dustan Niwagaba, another relative, say that the incident happened on Monday night at around 11:00 pm at the nearby Nyanja trading centre in Kigarama parish, Maziba sub-county.   

They claim that while Twinomujuni was with his friends in a bar that belonged to a woman only identified as Claire, officers armed with AK-47 rifles emerged and tasked them to explain why they were drinking during the time meant for sleeping.

Claire’s bar shares the same building with Nyanja police post. The officers reportedly ordered the revellers to kneel so that they could get arrested. Twinomujiuni’s friends allegedly took off, leaving him kneeling alone. The bereaved say that Twinomujuni later asked for forgiveness and to be freed to go home.

As Twinomujiuni left the bar, Tumwesigye allegedly cocked the gun and shot him in the right leg. Twinomujuni was rushed to a nearby clinic and later rushed to Kabale regional referral hospital where he succumbed to excessive bleeding on Tuesday morning.

But, Elly Maate, police spokesperson for Kigezi region dismissed the bereaved family’s narrative, saying that while the officers were on a night patrol in the trading centre in the early hours of Tuesday morning at around 03:00 am, they found Twinomujuni in Claire’s bar together with Dickson Turinawe, Levi Niwagaba, Jordan Ayijuka and four other yet to be identified revellers while drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.  

According to Maate, the police officers ordered the rest to go home and moved to arrest those who were smoking marijuana. Twinomujuni and others allegedly attempted to block them. During the scuffle according to Maate, sergeant Tumwesigye released bullets and one injured Twimomujuni who later died. 

Maate says that in addition to the arrest of the two officers, police have also managed to arrest Turinawe, Niwagaba and Ayijuka.  Maate adds that investigations into the matter are ongoing.