Uganda Police shoots sick man being rushed to the hospital

Reports say the alleged incident happened during curfew hours when police were on the streets of the Eastern African country enforcing COVID-19 regulations.

Tuko.co.ke reported Jedi Onyango, 49, as having said that he was not feeling well, and when he called his doctor, he was directed to visit the hospital.

He said he was being carried to the hospital on a commercial motorbike (Okada) when he came across police officers on patrol in the suburbs of Kampala City.

“I went to the roadside and hitched a ride to Mulago Hospital, but once we reached Mawanda Road, police officers waved us down. They flashed at us, and I told the rider to stop. Immediately, one of the police officers fired his gun twice and one caught his hand and another one missed my head by inches as I ducked,” he said as quoted by Tuko.co.ke.

Onyango further alleged that after shooting him, the police officers pulled and dumped him inside the gutter and drove off, thinking he had died.

However, a group of Okada riders came to his rescue and carried him to One Touch Medical Centre in Kyebando.

The victim’s wife Harriet Dariwaru who corroborated his claim said nurses at the called to inform her about her husband’s situation before another motor rider too called and narrated the entire incident to her.

“I dashed to the clinic, found him in a critical condition, and I process his transferred to Tumaini Health Centre in Kanyanya immediately where he is receiving medical care,” she said.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire however denied knowledge of the incident.

He said: “I have called the Kiira Road divisional police commander who has said he will find out and get back to me.”