Besigye arrested but not under house arrest, says Nabakooba

FULL STATEMENT

In the last five weeks, several leaders of political parties have led their supporters into engaging in criminal acts that have led to loss of life and destruction of property, and disruption of life and business of innocent persons.
Some of the offences, for which the perpetrators have been charged, include rioting and destruction of property, terrorism, unlawful assemblies and disobedience of lawful orders.

These acts of violence and destruction have been committed under the cover of ‘walk-to-walk demonstrations’ which, in fact, are unlawful assemblies, because of the failure of the organizers and participants to involve the Police, as required by law.

Dr. Kizza Besigye, specifically, has repeatedly engaged in these illegal acts, for which he has been charged in court. Yesterday, Dr. Besigye declared that, today, Thursday, the 19th of May, 2011, he shall continue his campaign of ‘walk-to-walk’, in disregard of the law.

In the execution of its Constitutional mandate of prevention and detection of crime, and in exercise of the powers conferred upon the Police by Section 26 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Police arrested Dr. Kizza Besigye this morning, along the Nangabo-Kisangati Road.

Section 26 of the Criminal Procedure Code provides for Preventive Arrest, in instances where, ‘a police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence, may arrest, without orders from a magistrate, and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to the officer that the commission of the offence cannot otherwise be prevented’.

Upon his arrest, Dr. Besigye was informed of the reason for his arrest, and was given the option of either accompanying the officers to the Police Station for formal charges, or being released and going back home. Dr. Besigye opted to go back to his residence.

We would like to make it clear that Dr. Kizza Besigye is not under house arrest. In fact, there are no security deployments on his property or residence.
Dr. Besigye had declared that he shall commit the acts that constitute criminal offences today, and we have reason to believe that, left to his own, he shall commit these offences in the course of the day. Should he, again, set out to commit these offences, he shall be arrested and charged.

Thank you.

Judith Nabakooba
Public Relations Offic