Police have arrested two residents involved in beating up a journalist on Wednesday evening in Kiyanja village, Nakisunga sub county, Mukono district.
It is reportedly said that Peter Byabasaijja, Denis Kiwanuka and others at large intercepted Ronald Kalumba, a correspondent for BBS television in Mukono and assaulted him causing him external and internal body injuries.
Kalumba who is still admitted at CPR medical facility sustained severe bruises on the head, in the back, right hand, and on the ankle joint which was strongly hit to the extent of disabling him from proper movement.
Irene Kukiriza, a medical worker at CPR who received him says the body is recovering though he still needs close monitoring and constant scanning of the ankle joint whose articulation of bones was injured.
According to Kalumba, he was on his way to interview the defense secretary of Kiyanja village, Richard Tabule who was also allegedly attacked and severely beaten by the same gang on Monday.
“I just saw youths armed with pangas and sticks jumping from the bush surrounding me,” he said. “They asked me whether I had clues on the land and whether I had been sent by Mwanje. I was not informed about a serious tense moment in the area caused by insecurity resulting from land wrangles they asked me about. When I told them I was just a traveler, they instantly started beating me badly.”
The LC3 chairperson of Nakisunga, Mubarak Ssekikubo reveals that his office was informed about the insecurity taking place in Kiyanja village caused by a one Denis Ssebufu who hired a gang of violent armed men to threaten the family of Musa Mwanje to vacate and stop using the land he (Ssebufu) claims to have bought.
Ssekikubo says that despite instructing police at Nakisunga to stop the gang, little did he know that Ssebufu had already compromised the officers to instead support the uncalled for actions.
According to him, the same group is said to have assaulted the defense secretary for not supporting them.
The Officer in Charge-OC of Mukono Police Division, Henry Kato says he has recommended to the Division Police Commander to transfer the officers at Nakisunga police post over recurrent concerns of unprofessional conduct reported against them in the area.
He also notes that they have reinforced with security from the division to patrol the village to have the entire group of suspects arrested.
