Uganda police arrest opposition MP in Abiriga murder probe
Wednesday June 13 2018
Uganda police have arrested an opposition lawmaker over social media comments which they say is suspect in the assassination last week of Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga.
The Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze was seized from her home in Mukono, 25km east of Kampala, on Wednesday morning.
The police claim that Ms Nambooze and three others made statements earlier last week on their social media platforms supporting calls for an attack on Mr Abiriga.
A detective said Ms Nambooze was arrested for alleged offensive communication.
The police said they would take into custody her co-accused Raymond Soulfa alias Peng Peng, Nasser Mugerwa and Jane Kuli.
“We have opened files against four people. Detectives are also still analysing messages on social media of a dozen others. If we get evidence that their communications were criminal, they will also be arrested,” said Vincent Ssekate, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations spokesman.
Mr Abiriga was shot dead together with his brother Saidi Buga Kongo on their way home on the outskirts of Kampala on Friday evening. The unknown gunmen were riding boda bodas (motorcycles).
Mr Abiriga, a staunch member of the ruling NRM party, was one of the key proponents of the controversial constitution amendment, which removed presidential age caps that now allows President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, to seek re-election.
Ms Nambooze is alleged to have said that MPs who championed the anti-age limits Bill would be punished by aggrieved members of the public.
Peng Peng is accused of releasing a video backing the attack on MPs who supported the Bill.
Mr Mugerwa is alleged to have released an audio urging Mr Abiriga killers to seek out more NRM lawmakers.
Ms Kuli is said to have posted a message on Facebook saying Mr Abiriga would be killed on the first week of June.
- Reported by Jessica Sabano of the Daily Monitor.