New details have surfaced in the case of Mercy Timbitwire, who was remanded for slapping traffic police officer Charles Makawa.
The incident, captured on video, drew widespread public interest, with multiple perspectives emerging.
According to a witness, Jane Makawa reportedly trailed Timbitwire on a motorcycle until she parked at Lugogo. Jane claims that Makawa initiated the confrontation, removing Timbitwire’s vehicle number plate without a clear explanation.
Timbitwire, in response, attempted to record the situation on her phone, prompting Makawa to seize it and escalate the altercation.
Makawa, however, stated that he pursued Timbitwire based on an alert about her erratic driving and observed her speaking on her phone while driving, which is a traffic violation.
Traffic Police spokesperson Michael Kananura supported Makawa’s account, emphasising that drivers should adhere to traffic stops and highlighting that police actions generally follow established procedures.
SOPs dictate that a traffic officer should inform a driver of any offence and, in cases of serious infractions, hand over the driver to the appropriate authority.
Timbitwire now faces charges, including the attempted robbery of police equipment. Her physical response to the officer’s actions has sparked debate, with public criticism of her decision to resort to violence while the officer was performing his duties.
