The Inspector General of Police Gen.Kayihura has reportedly apologized for the raid on Nakasero and Kiwatule mosques by police recently, Chimpreports has learnt.
The police boss on Thursday morning paid a courtesy visit to Uganda Muslim Supreme Council headquarters at Old Kampala Mosque where he held talks with the Deputy Mufti Sheikh Abdala Ssemambo and the second Deputy Mufti Sheikh Muhamad Waiswa who represented Mufit Shaban Mubajje who is out of the country on official duties.
According to the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council spokesperson Nsereko Mutumba,the meeting between the Muslim leaders and Gen.Kayihura was intended to discuss the ongoing situation in the country especially the murder of Muslim clerics and .
“He apologized to Uganda Muslim Supreme Council for the raids saying it was not intended to happen that way,” Mutumba told journalists.
“He said those who carried out the operation acted in an unprofessional manner but it was not intended.’
On the raid on the Kiwatule Mosque a few days later, the spokesperson told journalists that the police boss was sorry for acting on wrong intelligence information saying it was a mistake.
“He apologized for the false information police was fed that led to the raid on Kiwatule Mosque.”
Mutumba said in the meeting, Mufti Mubajje’s message relayed to Gen.Kayihura by the deputy was that police ought to always work closely with the Muslim leadership before carrying out such operations.
On December 27, a team of police and officers from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT) raided Nakasero Mosque in Kampala before arresting some people whereas computers and other documents were also taken .
Addressing journalists later, the police boss Gen.Kale Kayihura said they had got information from one of the top suspects there was evidence that would be vital in relation to the murder of Sheikh Maj.Muhammad Kiggundu.
Meanwhile, a few days later, police again raided Kiwatule mosque before arresting some believers.
Police would later release all the suspects arrested at Kiwatule Mosque citing wrong information from their intelligence officers that had led to arrest of Pakistanis who had come to the mosque on invitation of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council.
When asked on the claims of money reportedly taken by police officers during the Nakasero raid, Gen. Kayihura said he was in touch with management of the mosque adding that soon investigations into the claims would begin.
On the visit to Old Kampala, the police boss claimed it was a usual visit as part of the community policing program.
“We want to work with these communities to help fight criminality. I will even go to the Catholic church because these are big institutions that can help us fight crime not only in their communities but throughout the country,” Gen.Kayihura said.