Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) member and coordinator Moses Bigirwa has been arrested by police over his alleged attempts to blackmail and extort money from Deputy Speaker Anita Among.
Bigirwa is former contender for Kamuli Municipality MP seat under NUP ticket.
Birigrwa was arrested after he allegedly claimed to have a dossier implicating her in corruption cases. He is suspected to be behind the recent blackmail against the Bukedea Woman Member of Parliament. Police investigators say Bigirwa is among many suspects who are being hunted for witch-hunting and peddling lies against the Among.
In an audio recording making rounds on social media, Bigirwa, a former Kamuli Municipality MP contestant was heard asking for shs100 million from the deputy Speaker.
“The truth is that let her (Among) break the bank so that we also buy milk at home. I am monitoring him but let her get us tools(money) so we make things right,” Bigirwa was quoted in the audio.
It is said that he was lured to deputy Speaker Among’s residence in Nakasero where he was arrested by parliamentary police.
The spokesperson of the office of the deputy Speaker, Joseph Sabiti confirmed the development.
“Moses Bigirwa was arrested next to the residence of the deputy Speaker Anita Among after he had negotiated a deal to stop spreading defamatory information on social media. He demanded that she breaks the bank,” Sabiti said in a brief statement.
Moses Bigirwa was arrested next to the residence of deputy Speaker @AnitahAmong after he had negotiated a deal to stop spreading defamatory information on social media.He demanded that she breaks the bank. pic.twitter.com/zhMOI4GXF2
— Sabiti Joseph (@SabitiJoseph) November 6, 2021
However, National Unity Platform president, Robert Kyagulanyi first disagreed with the claims saying Bigirwa had been arrested along the Northern bypass together with his wife as they drove to his home.
He added that the group was later driven to Kibuli CID headquarters where Bigirwa’s wife was released as he was detained.
Kyagulanyi has however retracted the statement said he had been misled by Bigirwa’s wife who had claimed to have witnessed the arrest.
He is in Special Investigations Unit (SIU) custody in Kireka.
On Wednesday, Ms Among told MPs that she was not concerned about the falsehoods but also affirmed that the perpetrators of the malicious dossier would soon face the full wrath of the law.
The fake missive which widely circulated on internet suggested that Deputy Speaker was in hot soup and would soon face exit from Parliament due to her unscrupulous tendencies.