Uganda police force has dismissed as fake news, reports that their officers tortured a one Ssegawa Ronald and inflicted a deep wound on his arm.
Images have been circulating on social media for the last few days, with supporters of the National Unity Platform, NUP and their leaders claiming that they belonged to Ssegawa.
However, Fred Enanga the police spokesperson says the photos are not of the purported victim, but rather an accident victim in Mbale.
According to NUP, Ssegawa was their supporter who was allegedly abducted and tortured by police which later dumped him at mulago hospital.
"His fingernails were plucked out using pliers, all ankles his with a hummer. His crime is to support Mr HEBobiwine" one of the social media users alleges.
However, Enanga explains that the images are of one Nalima Sandra of Moni Ward, industrial division in Mbale City, who fell off a rock on January 27th 2021 while at her village.
"She sustained fractures on both hands and also one side of the leg and she was rushed to Mbale Regional referral hospital where she was undergoing treatment. It is at Mbale hospital that the images of the broken hand with an open fractured wound were smuggled and photoshopped to incite negative perception against security agencies" Enanga says.
He further noted that it is unfortunate that some media houses picked the images and used them, falling victim to the calculated malicious propaganda.
"It is unfortunate that some media houses fell victim to the calculated and malicious propaganda by in particular NUP including party President who affirmed that the fractured hand belonged to their supporter Ronald Ssegawa which is totally false" Enanga added.
He added that while presenting images of Ssegawa, his hands are hidden in a calculated manner, in their deliberate attempt to sway public perception.
"The victim, Nelima Sandra is currently undergoing medical treatment and her medical expenses are being catered for by Elite Youth of Uganda, an NGO based in Mbale that is also fundraising for her major surgery. We believe sharing such images and related false narratives is deeply offensive to the victim, her family and Elite Youth Uganda, who are catering for her medical treatment in Uganda" Enanga added.
