An Agent Threatens To Kill Wife As In-Laws Remain In Hiding

Source: Sally S. N'Guessan

An agent in an east African country mounted the hunt for his wife, amid claims that she eloped with a female partner. Given the current atmosphere surrounding the controversial victory of Gen. Yoweri Museveni, two-months ago, many impossible things happened without the public notice.

Several individuals in positions of power have used the chaotic atmosphere to settle scores without fears of the consequences.

As the media attention focused turned to the violence that occurred before, during and after the election processes, thousands of people disappeared with no trace, some still in jails on trumped up charges whilst others remain in hiding fearing for their lives.

The rule by law is becoming a chronic problem in this east African country of Uganda, in fact, it's known to be the oldest trick in the book, dating back to Roman times; creating the enemies you need .The state is a point of no return ,all state agencies have been programmed to work in a direction that suffocates the weak victims.

This is exactly what happened to a family in Mukono district 22.5 - kilometres north-east of the capital-Kampala. Fears and panic continue growing for a family, after it emerged that a security agent who also doubles as an in-law knocked down their house amid claims of the disappearance and remarrying of h is wife.

There are fears that this family risk of being exterminated as a jilted husband accuses them for remarrying his wife to a female partner. The family that long remained in hiding for the past four- months maintains, they had no hand when their daughter got into same sex - marriage abroad.

The jilted husband, John Desire Kasujja, a security agent accuses the in-laws for conspiring to get his wife Sabrinah Namawejje into relationship with a female partner. Many, including those against Kasujja's actions call this disgusting in any African culture.

"Our family does not condone lesbianism, " Mrs Katherine Kavuma, the mother of the 35-year-old Namawejje denied ever conspired with her daughter, she added that: "How can I support my daughter to get married to a female partner."

Mrs Kavuma claims she doesn't know "the whereabouts" of her daughter [Namawejje], a claim many do not believe.

The mother of estranged wife, who has remained into hiding since the early months of the 2016 for fear of her life, said: "I have not seen my daughter since 2014, and I don't know where she stays, but this man [Kasujja] thinks that, we conspired with Namawejje and we know where she lives."

In an exclusive interview with this newspaper from a hiding place that we cannot disclose to protect them from the raged and ex-husband to her daughter, the widow of Kavuma said: "My life will never be the same. I now live hand - to - mouth life and only take shower once a week."

"This is the third place. I have lived like hideous lizard, since our family house was knocked down and reduced to the debris in the first week of February, " the widow and mother of Namawejje explained whilst tears roll down to her chin. Appearing to be in a distraught, sobbing mood and upset with unhelpful law enforcement agencies, Mrs Kavuma a widow in her mid-sixties, said: "Originally, I had intentions to persuade my daughter to get back to her husband, if I met her. I don't want to hold any talk with that man, he has no regards for others."

Asked whether she has any knowledge about the alleged acts of her daughter that generated into this scenario, she denied any knowledge about it. "At my age, I cannot advise my daughter to elope from her matrimonial home," says Mrs Kavuma.

Mrs Kavuma and her daughter, Winnie Kigula went into hiding in first week of February 2016, after Kasujja, a security operative made a surprise attack in search of his wife and knocked down the family's home in Mukono. He [Kasujja] claims that his wife remarried to a female partner with the knowledge of her mother and sister, an accusation Namawejje's family flatly denies. According to a case filed at Sunga police post in Masaka district 159.3 kilometres south west of the capital-Kampala, under reference number SD 07/02/02/16, Kasujja hired some goons, armed with mattocks, sledgehammers, hoes and iron rods who reduced the family house to rubble.

Under normal circumstances, according to a criminal investigative officer, familiar with this issue, Mr Kasujja would have been charged with attempted murder and malicious damage, but he's described as untouchable man because of his position. Are some people more human than others. That's a question came to mind of this writer after listening to the police officers handling this case. The victims have no protection and live on God’s mercy.

A credible source within the security circles revealed to this newspaper that, Mr Kasujja wields enormous powers and has been a legendary boy right from Operation Wembley, which had "Shoot-to-Kill policy then gave illegal licence to torture, illegal detentions commonly known as "Safe Houses" [torture chambers] but disbanded after worldwide condemnation and critical human rights reports. Operation Wembley has since metamorphosed into Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU), Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce ( JATT), which was under the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), Rapidly Response Unit (RRU) and now Flying Squad, which is under police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) with headquarters at Kireka 10 kilometres north of the capital-Kampala. All agencies have seen changes of name and operations in administration police-to-army-to - Special Forces Command to get rebrand due to public outcry and bad human rights records.

He has since confronted and attacked the family on three occasions. He initially attacked and destroyed their house in Seeta - Mukono district, in February. They again had to cheat death as Mrs Kavuma and her daughter Kigula stealthily- slipped out of another house and hid in the bushes for 2 days.

"Had he found those people [Mrs Kavuma, Kigula and Namawejje] inside the house, it would have been a different story," said a local council member who witnessed the horrendous event. Neighbours watched anxiously as the masked- goons hired by Kasujja knock down and reduce the house to rubble.

"Over ten [10] men armed with hammers, mattocks and hoes knocked down the house, in less than 20 minutes, it was in ruins. I can imagine if he had found anyone of them inside," said Ssali Kajunge, a neighbour and resident of Mukono who witnessed the madness of a security operative that utilised the chaotic situation of the election period to settle scores.

When contacted the Uganda Inspector General of Police ( IGP ), Gen Edward Kale Kayihura, his aide who answered the phone told us, "the IGP in a security meeting." He promised to inform his boss to get back to us but never returned our calls. Mrs Kavuma's experience can hardly see the light in local paper pages. The state has increased the media gagging since the February presidential elections.

In months of March and April, 2016, incidents of extra-judicial killings against unarmed civilians have been reported in the western district of Kasese, 342.9 kilometres west of the capital-Kampala. The Flying Squad personnel have carried out extra-judicial killings, some attributed to land conflicts whilst members of security forces cited as the perpetrators. Unarmed civilians were shot on close range by members of the Flying Squad. ( Watch : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yonpi4wIw4c , https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9zMIw_jd-hQ , https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hZe3xU1yXn8 ).

The police gave its version of the events and later restricted to media to carry out own investigation to publish balanced reports. "After the experience of Kasese extra-judicial killings, I don't blame the family to stay away. The dead ones cannot acquire properties, it is only the living one," an eye witness who captured some picture shots from the scene who had travelled 159.3 kilometres to provide Mrs Kavuma with something to eat.

He added: "You shouldn't bother getting in touch with that monster [Kasujja], you may not be able to live and see your second meal for another day."

He advised this writer that not to push now until the dust settle down. People here don't trust the law enforcement agencies any more, "Gen. Kayihura will not help. He orders to investigate the extra judicial execution of civilians but later declares, it was "self defense".

Separately, the army spokesperson, Col. Paddy Ankunda, referring this newspaper back to the police chief. The puzzle remains uncovered the whereabouts of Namawejje. If she in the country why never contacted her sister or mother.

Could this man have killed his wife and make comic to divert attention and suspicions? All will be established in our follow up of this story.

N' Guessan is an investigative journalist who had a tour in Uganda recently.