Principal Judge Security Guards arrested over Masaka road explosion

Four police escorts who were injured in a blast on the motorcade of Principal Judge Dr Flavian Zeija, are detained at Nsambya police barracks.

According to police, Dr Zeija’s convoy was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Kalandezi village in Mpigi district last Saturday.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga told the press on Monday that the escorts and Zeija’s vehicles had minor pockmarks. However, it has been established that four police guards were injured by the fragments.

Now, a source has identified the injured and detained police officers as Assistant Inspector of Police -AIP Opiris the crew commander whose legs were affected by bomb components that include nails, iron bar pieces and broken bottles, Sargent Tumusiime, Police Constable -PC Mawa and PC Vuchiri.

They are attached to the Very Important Persons Protection Unit (VIPPU) based in Nsambya police barracks under the commandant of Commissioner of Police Hadijah Namutebi.

“It is unfortunate that our colleagues are in custody despite having sustained injuries in the bomb blast. They are not receiving the necessary treatment and they don’t know when they will be set free,” a policeman said.

Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, did not respond to inquiries about the fate of detained escorts.

But their colleagues who have accessed them and read through their files under Professional Standards Unit (PSU) commanded by Assistant Commissioner of Police Sarah Kibwika, said they are being charged with neglect of duty.

Dr Zeija’s incident was first reported as an assassination attempt by gunmen moving on motorcycles at around 8:30 pm on Saturday. But the specialised team from the police and army realised that it was not a shooting incident but an IED hidden under the road guard rail which was detonated at the time Zeija’s convoy was passing.

“We have since established that the attack on the convoy, was instead as a result of an improvised explosive device, planted on the roadside, below the guard rail, at a remote location, in Kalandezi village.