The Police and Uganda People Defense Force (UPDF) have denied rumours swirling in Gulu that they played a role in the alleged abduction of Simon Toolit Akecha, a political rival to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah.
Mr Toolit was allegedly abducted by three unknown gunmen at about 3 am on Wednesday morning at his home in African Quarters, Pece Division Gulu Municipality and whisked away to unknown location. His whereabouts was still unknown at the time of filing this story.
Toolit, a former FDC contestant for the Omoro County seat in Gulu district was at the time of his disappearance challenging Mr Oulanyah’s victory in the February 18 parliamentary elections at Gulu High Court before Justice David Matovu.
There has been speculations that Toolit was abducted by state agents following his court battle with Oulanyah, briefly detained at 4th Division Infantry headquarters in Gulu before being whisked away to the Special Investigation Department at Kireka, a Kampala suburb.
Police Spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga however refuted the claims in a phone interview with Acholi Times on Thursday morning.
“It’s a lie that Mr Toolit is in SID Kireka, police don’t have him here..,” Mr Enanga said.
Lt Hassan Ahmad Kato, the 4th Division Public Relation officer also said that they don’t have any one in the names of Toolit in their detention cells adding that UPDF doesn’t carry illegal abduction.
“UPDF cannot stoop that low and involve in partisan politics by abducting someone, why would a professional army conduct illegal abduction. We are mandated to protect not abduct people,” Lt Kato said.
But the Gulu Municipality FDC Publicity Secretary Mr Kelly Komakech maintained that they got intelligence information that Mr Toolit was abducted by state agents and taken to SID in Kireka for interrogation on unknown charges.
He said the state has currently embarked on targeting FDC leaders on unclear grounds but noted that the abduction will not deter their activities of opposing the tyrannical regime of Mr Museveni.
“We are demanding unconditional release of Toolit within the next 24 hours, if doesn’t happen, we shall mobilize our masses in the district to demonstrate,” Mr Komakech told Acholi Times in an interview.
Kilak South MP Mr Gilbert Olanya said there were clear signs that the abduction of Mr Toolit is related to the current election petition case he is battling in Court.
“Any reasonable person can understand why a man who is in the middle of a court case gets abducted at night by gunmen. This is not the work of an ordinary person,” Mr Olanya said.
