Barely two days after being filmed assaulting a female shop attendant at a Shell fuel station in Kyanja, Kampala, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Clive Nsiima Barigye has been released from custody without charge in what critics say is another classic case of impunity among privileged officers.
Clive, who serves under the Counter Terrorism Directorate’s Oil and Gas Protection Unit, was captured on CCTV slapping a female cashier after she reminded him to clear an unpaid fuel bill of about Shs30,000.
In the viral footage, the visibly intoxicated officer, dressed in civilian clothes is seen berating the attendant before striking her twice across the face.
“I am parking; have you ever driven such a car?” he is heard saying. “She’s disturbing me over Shs 30,000. Do you think I can run away with Shs100,000? I can slap you even with these cameras here and tomorrow we go to court.”
The video sparked national outrage, prompting senior police officers to distance the institution from his behaviour.
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke confirmed his arrest via X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I hereby confirm that he has been arrested.”
His statement followed that of the Director of Criminal Investigations, AIGP Tom Magambo, who condemned the attack, writing, “My colleagues and I condemn such isolated behaviour. Be assured that an internal investigation is ongoing to guide in further action.”
But while Ugandans expected justice, this website has exclusively learnt that Clive was quietly released on Wednesday afternoon from Railway Police custody without any charges preferred against him.
No police official was willing to comment on his release.
A pattern of violence
Following the Kyanja assault, social media exploded with confessions and recollections from Ugandans familiar with Nsiima’s history of violence.
He is said to hail from the Ankole royal family, and those who know him describe him as calm when sober but dangerously unruly after drinking.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Nsiima allegedly opened fire at revellers at Birunga Bar in Ntinda, injuring some.
He was reportedly arrested on orders of top security officials but released in less than six hours.
In another incident, he is said to have pulled a gun on Buganda Prince David Wasajja after accusing the royal of blocking his car. Although the case was reported to police, no action was taken.
While serving in Hoima, Clive was named in hit-and-run accident involving a pregnant woman and three others. The fate of the victims remains unclear.
He is also known for frequenting bars armed with a pistol, which he is said to habitually brandish when drunk. In one recent episode, he reportedly tried to force his car into a liquor shop in Ntinda before police intervened and disarmed him.
This website has learnt that the woman Clive assaulted in Kyanja is the granddaughter of Christine, a former Personal Assistant to ex–Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura. It is alleged that Christine’s intervention and influence prompted Clive’s arrest something that might not have happened otherwise.
However, insiders claim his release was influenced by top UPDF generals who are patrons of his royal family in Ankole.
For many Ugandans, the turn of events has reaffirmed long-standing concerns about unequal justice and the protection of errant officers with powerful connections.