The Inspector-General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola has in a twist of events indicated that he was misinterpreted when he encouraged Police cops to flog journalists.
Ochola says the statements he made were meant as a joke but were blown out of proposition by the public .
This follows a statement he uttered early this year in a joint security presser, warning journalists that police would not stop beating them until they got into order.
Ochola was speaking at a pre-election news conference with senior security officials, on the 9th of January when he made the threats .
“It is not that we are targeting you the media, no, we are trying to protect your lives, we are telling you it is danger there, for you, you are insisting you must go where there is danger. Yes, we shall beat you for your own sake. To help you understand to not go there.” Ochola warned.
” we shall continue to help you not to go where danger is.” he added.
At the time he said this, several journalists had been beaten with batons, rubber bullets and teargas canisters, in a campaign trail .
However,while appearing before the Defence Committee of parliament , Ochola backtracked his statements ,indicating that he was joking instead.
This is after he was pinned by legislators who demanded to know why made statements that have since instigated brutality against journalists in Uganda.
In his response ,Ochola stated that he has an impeccable record on fighting for human rights in Uganda ,evidenced by his order to close Nalufenya torture chambers.
”What I said was intended as a joke, I normally make jokes, but it turned out that it was blown out of proportion,I don’t condone any police officer committing a criminal offense, my record in handling Human rights issues is well known, when I was appointed in 2018,1st thing I did was to close Nalufenya,” He explained.
Following his statements,a team of journalists were beaten while covering former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi wine as he delivered a petition to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Kampala.
