Bobi Wine’s wife says her husband suffered injuries

Kampala. Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine suffered various injuries following his violent arrest and detention by security forces, his wife Barbara Itungo said yesterday, quoting husband and a military doctor.
Ms Itungo said in the conversation she had with her husband when she last visited him in Makindye military barracks on Saturday, he revealed to her that he was suffering unbearable pain.
However, Army spokesperson Brig Richard Karemire yesterday told Daily Monitor that the army doctors were handling the Kyandondo East MP’s condition and making sure he is in “good shape.”
“For the years I have been with my husband, I can tell when he is in pain even when he does not talk directly. When I took for him some boxers yesterday, he told me that he could not be able to wear them because he is still ill. I knew he had a problem,” Ms Itungo told Daily Monitor in an interview at their home in Magere-Wakiso District yesterday.

Background
On Thursday, Bobi Wine was taken to the General Court Martial in Gulu District and charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition following his arrest after his driver was shot dead.
He was arrested together with several Opposition politicians who were also charged.
Upon arrest in Arua on August 13, Bobi Wine was detained in Gulu by the army before he was charged and transferred in bad health to Makindye Military Barracks in Kampala.

There has been a lot of information about his deteriorating health in custody but his wife said no medical document from a doctor has been availed to confirm the claims or the extent of the injuries.
“The only problem is that we could not get clear documented information from the doctors to confirm. However, he also told me that one of his kidneys is injured. It is hard to verify the extent of the damage on my husband’s life because of the damages seem to be internal,” Ms Itungo told Daily Monitor.
On Saturday, Bobi Wine lawyers Lukwago and Company Advocates also released a statement indicating that the doctors confirmed his kidney had been damaged.

“One of Hon Kyagulanyi’s kidneys was damaged, he suffered internal bleeding, he is experiencing excruciating pain in the hip and head yet no scan or X-ray examination had been conducted. No clear indication that the military barracks is equipped with necessary facilities to handle his deteriorating health,” the lawyers stated.
The Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago, is one of the lawyers on Bobi Wine’s legal team. He said when they met the doctor at the military barracks on Friday, they were given some information on his health without any medical documents to verify their information.
“A military officer at the rank of captain just gave us vague information with no paperwork to back it up. We are proceeding on Article 23 of the Constitution to make sure Mr Kyagulanyi accesses his personal doctors,” Mr Lukwago said. The said article provides for a suspect’s right to bail.
According to Brig Karemire, Bobi Wine’s condition is not so bad.
“Bobi Wine is in good condition. We trust our doctors and they are handling him. You remember when the doctors carried an industrial action? These are the very doctors who worked and why doubt them right now? We should dismiss any speculations and work with facts,” Brig Karemire told Daily Monitor.

Arresting presidential guards
Asked whether the presidential guard soldiers who arrested Bobi Wine would be punished for brutalising a suspect in custody, Brig Karemire declined to give a definite answer. He instead countered with a question whether it is also under the law to carry out a procession and throw stones at the President.
“Why should they [soldiers] be arrested? Is it in the law to pelt stones to the fountain honour and do processions? You should know why Bobi Wine was arrested,” Brig Karemire said.
Singer Juliana Kanyomozi said they would work together to forge a way of freeing their colleague now turned politician. “We want to work together because we know our voices can be heard. We came to support the family and held a meeting to fight together as musicians,” Ms Kanyomoozi said.

This story appeared in Daily Monitor of Uganda