UPDF personnel accused of torturing notorious street goons in Gulu City
According to Aguu, they accused UPDF of arresting them, taking them to a UPDF detention center, torturing them, and releasing them.
By Christopher Nyeko
Gulu: At least 33 members of the notorious street goons locally known as Aguu have accused UPDF personnel of violating their rights. The complaints about numerous cases of torture and other forms of violence were reported to civil society organizations.
The statistics were revealed by Alfred Oketa, the program coordinator for the African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, who was recently reading the joint statement by the West Acholi Civil Society Organization during a press conference held at the Human Rights Commission office in Gulu City.
In the statement, the civil society organization pointed out that 33 Aguu were reportedly tortured by the UPDF.
According to Aguu, they accused UPDF of arresting them, taking them to a UPDF detention center, torturing them, and releasing them.
Jordan Megolonyo, the legal officer at ACTV, says the cases were reported on their tool-free line, while other Aguu reported their cases to the local leaders, who later forwarded them to ACTV for legal guidance and rehabilitation.
Megolonyo noted that the victims presented with bodily injuries inflicted on their various body parts, such as joints, chests, backs, and heads, and those body parts were mainly targeted to disable their movement.
Major. Nicholas Abiribale, the fourth division community liaison officer, refuted the report, saying none of such cases were reported to them.
However, Major Telesphor Turamumanya, the fourth infantry division army spokesperson, says sometimes the UPDF arrests the criminal goons who are engaged in using the UPDF attire, but for the pretty criminals, they usually hand them to the police.
He urged anyone who may have been tortured by the UPDF and has sufficient evidence to take it to the UPDF so that that officer is brought to book.
In 2023, a total of 878 new cases of human rights violations were registered in northern Uganda, of which 527 were male and 351 were female.
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