Uganda’s High Court has ordered the government to pay compensation to a man who said he was tortured and unlawfully detained by military intelligence operatives.
Justice Isaac Bonny Teko ruled that Leo Ntege’s constitutional rights had been violated, awarding him a total of 172 million Ugandan shillings in damages.
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The judge said detention beyond 48 hours without charge is illegal and described torture as a grave breach of human dignity. He added that courts must act firmly when state agents subject civilians to abuse or degrading treatment.
According to court documents, Mr Ntege was arrested at his home in Mutundwe, a suburb of Kampala, in July 2021. He told the court that armed men identifying themselves as operatives of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence raided his residence in the early hours of the morning.
They accused him of illegally possessing a firearm, though none was found. Several personal items, including electronic devices and identification documents, were reportedly taken during the operation.
Mr Ntege said he was blindfolded and taken to a detention facility he later identified as Mbuya military barracks. He testified that he was repeatedly beaten, subjected to physical abuse and denied access to medication for a pre-existing medical condition during his detention.
After several weeks, he was transferred to a police investigations unit in Kireka. He told the court that the alleged mistreatment led to long-term health complications, including kidney problems, and significant medical expenses.
The Attorney General, representing the state, denied that Mr Ntege had been held at the military facility, although it acknowledged he had been arrested during a joint security operation. The defence also questioned the role of one of the individuals named in the case.
However, Justice Teko said the government’s position was not supported by evidence, describing Mr Ntege’s account as consistent and backed by medical and psychological reports.
The court found that the treatment he described, including beatings, incommunicado detention and denial of medical care, amounted to violations of protections against torture and inhumane treatment.
The judge awarded 22 million shillings in special damages for medical costs and 150 million shillings in general damages. The government and another respondent in the case were ordered to jointly pay the compensation, along with legal costs.
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