A Kampala businessman is rotting away after he was allegedly tortured by Internal Security Organisation (ISO) operatives in one of the safe houses in Kyengera, a few kilometres from the city centre.
Ivan Musimenta, who was arrested on May 2, 2018 spent over two months in ISO custody, blindfolded, handcuffed and his legs chained as operatives unleashed horror so he could confess to have played part in Budo Junior fire which left 19 pupils dead in 2008.
He said, ISO operatives advised that he would elude torture only if he implicated Movit boss Simpson Birungi.
Accordingly, Musimenta has instructed his lawyers Muwema and Company Advocates to file a court application against ISO director general Kaka Bagyenda and also lodged a complaint in the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
Musimenta who exclusively spoke to TrumpetNews about his ordeal revealed that shortly before he was released, agents picked him from Kyengera torture chamber and took him to ISO head offices in Nakasero where met Brig Kaka who warned that he risked his life should be expose the horror he went through inside the safe house.
“I was taken to ISO Headquarters where Mr. Kaka claimed who that I had been detained to protect my life because Birungi wanted to kill me. That they had decided to release me because now Birungi had been arrested and that the danger had been reduced, he warned me not to be silly to tell of what had happened,” said Musimenta.
A resident of Naalya, a Kampala suburb, Musimenta is a family man who deals in transport business.
His ordeal began sometime early this year when he was by his friend Yusuf Kiggundu a former flying squad operative, “we went to Bwaise to listen to person who was going to confess about the Buddo Junior School fire incident.”
Indeed, they met a one Moses Lumu at Eden Harvest who alleged that he had been sent by Movit proprietor Birungi in 2008 to torch down a dormitory of Budo Junior School.
Lumu said that however, Mr. Birungi hadn’t completed the payment for the job he executed and requested Musimenta and Kiggundu to convene a meeting with Birungi.
“I was not comfortable with Lumu’s confession. I advised that he should refer the matter to Police. He agreed but added that first we needed to arrange a meeting with Simpson Birungi.”
Musimenta added that they were able to meet Birungi, shockingly Lumu avoided the the fires confession and focused on the money owed.
Mr Birungi acknowledged that there was a land transaction which he was involved in together with Lumu.
He didn’t pay Lumu because the land deal didn’t materialise and he ended up losing out on money.
ISO
Musementa’s friend Mr. Kiggundu heeded to his advice but instead took the matter to ISO.
The duo met Kaka, after narrating the story he offered them shs 500000 to produce Lumu which they did.
And on April 29, Lumu appeared before Kaka and was subjected to interrogation and detained.
Musimenta later learnt that Lumu had escaped, “I did not believe them because their offices are heavily guarded.”
Arrest
While at Kabu supermarket in Kyaliwajala on May 2, 2018, Musimenta was surrounded by heavily armed UPDF soldiers he was handcuffed, blindfolded and whisked away to unknown destination which he learnt was a safe house in Kyengera.
At this facility, Musimenta faced Paddy Serunjogi alias Sobbbie who began grilling him on the whereabouts of Lumu.
Sobbie is a self confessed robber and murderer who sometime early this year was arrested by police and later released on order of unknown top government officials.
“I requested Sobbie to allow me use my phone to send some money home and I revealed that I had a total of One Million, Four Hundred Thousand on the said phone. Sobbie allowed me to use my phone in exchange of Ushs. 400,000/= [Uganda Shillings Four Hundred Thousand Only] which I sent to his phone number, 0752988703.”
In the process, Musimenta managed to inform his wige about his incarceration.
After weeks he would later be picked by an operative identified as Nsangiranabo Erusmous Jack who shifted him to another facility within Kyengera.
In this new safe house he found Lumu but escaped again after a week but was rearrested the next day.
Torture
Thereafter, Musimenta’s legs were chained and locked up with a padlock.
His friend Kiggundu was equally subjected to same condition
As they were interrogated, Lumu confessed for having concocted the story against Birungi Simpson, “but Jack jumped at us and lashed out that we should only tell them exactly what they wanted to hear.”
Adding that two ISO employees named Juuko and Eddy said Mr Birungi had met and paid Musimenta at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel to stay silent
“After interrogation, the torture increased, we were often beaten, fed on one ill prepared meal and the windows of the rooms where we were held were sealed so we were unable to tell whether it was day or night,” he said.
Musimenta narrates how he saw an agent shooting in the foot a suspect.
He was beaten daily on orders of a one Jack, Okurut David, Richard Ataliwuwe and Tumusiime Robert
He would later develop deep wounds on the head, his hand was broken and feet bled everyday.
Against that backdrop, Musimenta confessed before ISO cameras.
He however states that, “I made the said statement under duress.”
Upon getting the statement, Musimenta was driven to ISO head quarters where he met Brig Kaka who revealed this he was detained to protect his life was Birungi wanted to kill him. He was warned never to disclose what happens inside ISO facilities.
Musimenta sought medical attention and has since learnt of a blood clot at the back of his my head, a broken arm, a bruised and enlarged liver and the tissue on both his knees and ankles were was terribly damaged.
“The doctors told me that my recovery will take long and I am still undergoing medication.”
No official from ISO was available for a comment.