Ugandan opposition bodyguard charged after torture, lawyer says
A bodyguard for one of Uganda's opposition leaders, Bobi Wine, has been charged with aggravated robbery, days after the head of the military said he had detained him.
Last week Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also President Yoweri Museveni's son, confirmed that he had been holding Eddie Mutwe five days after his disappearance.
The lawyer representing the bodyguard, whose real name is Edward Sebuufu, said his client had been tortured, telling the country's Daily Monitor newspaper that he was beaten using "wires of electricity".
Magellan Kazibwe added that Mr Sebuufu was in "great pain" and had also faced the squeezing of his "private parts".
Mr Kazibwe told reporters that Mr Sebuufu had faced electrocution and that his team were planning to take him to hospital.
Rights groups have long accused the authorities of targeting the opposition especially during the run up to elections.
As Mr Sebuufu was brought to court on Monday, security operatives tried to shield him to prevent the media from seeing him.
But videos showed Bobi Wine's bodyguard barefoot, and hardly able to walk.
Last week, Gen Kainerugabai posted on social media that Mr Sebuufu was in his custody. The army chief said the bodyguard had been shaved and that he planned to castrate him.
The detention comes as Uganda gears up for elections in 2026 where Museveni, who has been in power for nearly four decades, is expected to run against Bobi Wine.
Several human rights activists have condemned Mr Sebuufuu's detention, meanwhile Uganda's Human Rights Commission called for his immediate release.
Civil society organisations have also warned that his detention is part of a systematic campaign to silence dissent and crush opposition ahead of the general election.
However, the government blames the opposition for civilian and police clashes, saying they hold rallies without permission.
Lawyer Mr Kazibwe added that aside from aggravated robbery, Mr Sebuufuu was also charged with simple robbery over an alleged incident in Lwengo District.
Bobi Wine: Uganda's 'ghetto president'
How an ex-rebel has stayed in power for 35 years
Ugandan internet propaganda network exposed by the BBC
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Africa Daily
Focus on Africa
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
BBC bosses draw up plans to win over Reform UK voters
BBC bosses have drawn up plans to win over Reform UK voters, according to editorial meeting minutes. Minutes from a meeting of the broadcaster's editorial guidelines and standards committee from March show that BBC News CEO Deborah Turness gave a presentation in which she discussed plans to alter "story selection" and "other types of output, such as drama" to win the trust of Reform voters. The minutes, which were reported by The Byline Times, also show the committee identified "the importance of local BBC teams" to their plan to win over supporters of Nigel Farage. There is reportedly a belief that the corporation's news and drama output is creating "low trust issues" with Farage backers. The minutes states: "The CEO, News and Current Affairs provided the Committee with a presentation on plans to address low trust issues with Reform voters. READ MORE: "The committee discussed the presentation. Committee members recognised the importance of local BBC teams in the plan, given their closeness to audiences. "Directors discussed how story selection and other types of output, such as drama, also had a role to play. An update on progress would return to a future meeting." The committee includes former GB News executive Robbie Gibb, who is also a former director of communications at Number 10 and an outspoken Brexiteer. Gibb was appointed to the board by former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021. He was identified by former BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis in 2022 as an 'active agent of the Conservative party'. Farage has repeatedly used his own GB News platform to attack the BBC, calling it a 'political actor' and threatening to boycott the corporation. In language also used by the BBC Editorial Committee, the Reform leader suggested that BBC editors were using 'story selection' in order to target his party. In an incident last year, Farage refused to appear on the BBC until the broadcaster apologised for allowing members of the public to ask him questions during a special episode of Question Time. READ MORE: Byline Times said BBC staffers it spoke to are concerned about the plan to win over Reform voters, due to the risk of increasing allegations of bias. The BBC has previously been criticised by some viewers for heavily featuring Reform UK politicians on its programmes, despite the party only having a handful of MPs. In July last year, sociology professor Tom Mills – author of The BBC: The Myth of a Public Service – claimed the BBC were giving such a platform to Farage because they are such a big part of a 'political establishment which has drifted to the right'. 'I think the simple answer to why they [the BBC] like Nigel Farage is they are much more comfortable with an anti-establishment figure on the right than the left. It's as simple as that," he said. 'He's on their political spectrum and the political spectrum for the BBC runs from the centrists out to Nigel Farage. 'They still see those guys [like Farage] as being rogue figures of the establishment, but they are just given legitimacy by the fact that there's lots of voices they [the BBC] see to be legitimate in these media organisations which speak from a similar sort of perspective.' The BBC has been approached for comment.
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Juneteenth reaches 25 years in the Chippewa Valley
EAU CLAIRE — It is a landmark Berlye Middleton is proud of, as Eau Claire's Juneteenth celebration reaches its silver anniversary. '25 years — that says something for our community,' said Middleton in a recent interview with the Leader-Telegram. 'It's a big check in terms of equity, inclusiveness, fairness and not [towards] attempts to revise the past.' And that is just what Juneteenth acknowledges: the ending of a dark part of our nation's history, and the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation that freed millions of African-Americans who were previously enslaved for hundreds of years in the United States. Former president Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in 2021, federally recognizing the holiday. Middleton is the president of Uniting Bridges of Eau Claire, the host organization of the Juneteenth event taking place next week in Carson Park. He pointed out that Eau Claire was an early pioneer in advocating for the importance of the holiday. 'Our community recognized it even before the state recognized it, and long before the federal government realized it was important,' said Middleton. He noted there has been a shift in the national discourse surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With federal initiatives aimed at curtailing or abolishing those efforts, individuals already harboring negative views towards DEI have begun to cast doubts on the qualifications of those who benefit from these programs, specifically questioning their suitability for various employment positions. 'They just ignore a person's qualifications,' said Middleton. 'They think: that person is black and I see that as why that person was hired. It's so ridiculous now, but it's a reality. In some people's minds, it has always been that way with them.' But Middleton also noted that this has not reduced, for example, sponsors and exhibitors at the event that have been a part of the Eau Claire Juneteenth event. 'They've annually been a part of Juneteenth and continue to do so in spite of other regressive types of policies that have come forth in the last year.' At this year's event there will once again be speakers, music, games, and even an event earlier in the day at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. The event, scheduled in the Youth Program Room (Room 123) in the library on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will also feature interactive activities, snacks, music, and hands-on crafts while the significance of the holiday is discussed. Middleton also clarified that the event is open to all, dispelling a misconception that occurred in the last few years. He has learned that people coming to the event have soon left upon seeing only Democratic members of government in prior events. Those people came to the conclusion that the event is only open to those who subscribe to certain political beliefs, and he said that this is not the case. Middleton said that the good news is that there will be a Republican Party table at the event, thanks to Michele Skinner (R-Altoona), who made her intention to participate clear after learning that she and others are — and have been — welcome to attend. 'This is an event for everyone, regardless of your ideology,' he said. '[Republicans] are a part of the community. We don't like when people make us invisible and we don't want to do that to them.' Middleton said that there is still a long way to go, and has concerns that a backslide in progress could occur, meaning losing years of progress in getting citizens of color onto a level playing field. 'Things are still not equal; they are not equitable,' he said. 'Instead of becoming a continued force of world progress, we are on the precipice of our nation, our state and our community becoming the worst of our past and becoming a model of aggression that should never be duplicated, replicated or any other way repeated.'
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ex-prisoners welcome second chance at jobs fair
A jobs fair at an East Sussex prison was described as "life-changing" by a former inmate. Frazer Trought, who is on licence after serving 10 years in prison for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, said he was offered a job after a previous event. He said: "They empowered me to prove my worth by giving me responsibility and allowing me to work hard and prove myself as a reliable employee." BBC South East was given exclusive access to the HMP Lewes Careers Day, organised by Balfour Beatty, where businesses offer career mentoring as part of wider efforts to reduce re-offending. Mr Trought said: "When I was in prison, I had a lot of time to think about my actions and the repercussions were catastrophic for my family, friends and society." He said the support he received from a previous Balfour Beatty jobs fair helped him turn his life around and secured a job with Triplex. John Burton was previously jailed for drug importation, tax evasion and money laundering, and released in 2017. He said: "Crime doesn't pay, you will get caught. While I was in prison I said to myself I must get rehabilitated because I wanted to support myself and my family." He has a company, Inside Connections, which is now managed by his children. Mr Burton said his family had never been involved in crime and he was determined to turn his life around for them. Imogen Emmerson, who is a prison employment lead for HM Prison and Probation Service, said jobs were "key to rehabilitation". "We see most offenders who go into work within the first six months don't re-offend," she added. Ms Emmerson said while there is still stigma attached to former offenders, but some employers are prepared to take the initial risk and give them a chance. "A lot of prisoners are keen to work and they are doing it for reasons other than earning a pay cheque," she added. "They want to show they have the motivation to turn their lives around. We see stable employment as a game-changer for their confidence." Ms Emmerson said there had been more than 100 job offers via career fairs. Ceri Turner, the social impact manager for Balfour Beatty Living Places, said it was beneficial for businesses to employ former prisoners as the country has an ageing workforce. "We recognise people deserve a second chance and there is commercial value in having a diverse team in the company," she added. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Garden celebrates 'strong beauty' of prison project Ministry of Justice
