At least 33 members of the notorious street goons locally known as Aguu have accused UPDF personnel of violation of their rights. The complaints about numerous cases of torture and other form of violence were reported to civil society organization.
The statistics were revealed by Alfred Oketa, the program coordinator for African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims who was on Thursday reading the joint statement by west Acholi civil society organization during press conference held at Human right commission office in Gulu city.
In the statement, the civil society organization pointed out that 33 Aguu were reportedly tortured by UPDF.
According to Aguu, they accused UPDF for arresting them, taking them to UPDF detention centre, torturing and releasing them.
Jordan Megolonyo, the legal officer at ACTV says the cases were reported on their tool free line, while other Aguu reported their cases to the local leaders who later forwarded them to ACTV for legal guidance and rehabilitation.
Megolony noted that the victims presented with bodily injuries inflicted on their various body parts such as joint, chest, back and head and those body parts and mainly targeted to disable them from movement.
Major. Nicholas Abiribale, the fourth division community liaison officer refuted the report saying none of such cases were reported to them.
However, Major Telesphor Turamumanya, the fourth infantry division army spokesperson says sometimes the UPDF arrest the criminal goon who are engaged in using the UPDF attires but for the pretty criminal they usually hand them to police.
He urged anyone who may have been tortured by the UPDF and has sufficient evidence to take it to the UPDF so that that officer is brought to book.
In 2023, a total of 878 new cases of human rights violation were registered from northern Uganda of which 527 were male and 351 females.
