At the rank of Assistant Commissioner, Asingye allegedly shot John Ofono, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning at Kirombe Market stage, Nakawa Division, in Kampala.
A senior prisons officer, Apollo Baker Asingye, has been detained at Jinja Road police division on allegations of shooting a civilian in a fight for space in a taxi.
At the rank of Assistant Commissioner, Asingye allegedly shot John Ofwono, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning at Kirombe Market stage, Nakawa Division, in Kampala.
Although Prisons spokesperson, Commissioner Frank Baine, said he was still gathering details, sources said Asingye pulled the pistol trigger at Ofwono at around 12:45 am.
“It is alleged that the suspect who wanted to force himself into a taxi which was already full, met resistance from passengers who were already in excess. He developed a quarrel with some youthful passengers before drawing his pistol and shooting at them. Other passengers escaped unhurt,” a senior police source said.
Asingye dragged himself to Jinja Road police station where he recorded a statement claiming a group of youth he found in a taxi tried to grab his pistol. Jinja Road police detained him as investigation proceed.
However, witnesses who have since been interrogated by Jinja Road detectives dispelled the suspect’s account.
“He wanted to use force and that’s what he often does. We were already squeezed and we asked him to wait for another taxi but he refused. We tried to push him out and he responded by shooting Ofwono,” another witness stated in a statement.
Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, said he was yet to get any briefing about the incident. Asingye has been slapped with charges of attempted murder vide Kirombe Police Post under reference SD 20/17/03/2020.
Kirombe Police Post Officer in Charge in a message sent to Jinja Road Division police commander said:
“This morning at about 0045 hrs, at Kirombe market stage, Nakawa Division, Kampala district, a senior prisons officer, ACP Apollo Baker Asingye, shot and injured one Ofwono John, a resident of the same area.”
Ofwono was rushed to St Benedict Health Centre by the fellow passenger after Asingye had fled the scene. Sources said the scene was visited in the night senior officers including the scene of crime officers who picked the bullet casings.
Senior officers at Jinja Road and Kampala Central Police Station –CPS were wondering why Asingye was using a taxi in the night yet he is entitled to a vehicle. Detectives were waiting for Ofwono’s health to improve and he gives an account of what transpired.
Story by Kato Joseph
