City Business man Rajiv Ruparelia has spoken out about this morning incident in which he says was a racial attack against him by police officers.
Mr. Rajiv who is currently nursing severe wounds said, the attacks on him by counter terrorism police officers happened near his home in Kololo, a Kampala surbab during a morning walk.
He narrated that this morning while walking with his dogs he saw a vehicle racing up on a terrific speed and wanted to inquire from them why they were driving on a high speed on a residential road.
“I stopped to tell them that it was not safe for any body to ride this fast on a residential road. I and my dogs were walking and i asked why an individual must drive this recklessly on a residential road”.
“I requested in a simple way but an officer angrily said to me that this is not India, this is Uganda. The police officer was not in identified police vehicle, it was a private car. Based on that i had no idea that this was police”.
“He went on and asked me why i should ask him to slow down , i did not know there were several other officers in the car, they got out and started beating me”.
“In the process of beating me, i was nolonger able to hold my dogs. If some one is beating you how do you control dogs. I released them and they started running”
“Immediately the dogs saw that i was being beaten badly by the officers with sticks and gun butts and others were pushing me and they tried to save me This was a racial attack”.
“My dog watcher came to help me and in the process he was also beaten badly and he is now in hospital. As they were leaving they knocked him with the car but they did not take his life”.
The victim is now in hospital. “we are hoping he is recovering quickly.”
Meanwhile,
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango confirmed the incident but said the matter was being handled by Kira police station. “You mean the case at Kira police station, Let me get you details said before hanging up” His boss, Fred Enanga said he was yet to get a briefing about the incident.
The van however, ran over security dogs guarding Sudhir’s home, leaving them with serious injuries.
The attempt on Rajiv’s life comes after protracted wrangles between the Sudhir family and the central bank.
Top bank of Uganda officials like the former Deputy Governor Louis Kasekende and the former director for commercial banks supervision Justine Bagyenda were thrust in the eye of the storm after the Sudhir family exposed their roles in the illegal closure of banks.
A broad Parliamentary inquiry found Mr Kasekende,Mrs Bagyenda and Mrs Margaret Kasule,the BoU Legal Secretary guilty of wrong-doing in the closure of seven commercial banks, including Crane Bank.
Bank of Uganda has since lost several cases in court to Mr Ruparelia, leaving it’s management humiliated and angry.
The attempt to end Rajiv’s life will mark a new low for the central bank, which has been embroiled in turmoil over the past four years.