Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Clive Nsiima has been remanded to prison on charges of assault and malicious damage to property after he was captured on CCTV slapping a female attendant at a petrol station shop in Kyanja, a Kampala City suburb.
ASP Nsiima was seen in a viral video slapping a female shop attendant after she demanded that he pay for the items he and a female friend had picked up on October 7.
The viral video prompted the police to arrest and detain him last week.
After spending four days in the police cells, the officer was arraigned before Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Nicholas Aisu at City Hall Court on Monday, October 13. He was remanded to Luzira Prison until October 16 for a court ruling on his bail application.
ASP Nsiima’s lawyer, Hamaza Kyamanywa told the court that the complainant, Pellan Atuhumuriize and the accused officer have since reconciled, and that she had filed an additional statement.
“In the circumstances, I seek to apply for bail for the accused. We have three sureties in court. In the circumstances, we pray that every suspect is still presumed innocent and pray that the accused is granted bail if there’s no objection from the state pending hearing of the case,” Mr Kyamanywa said.
However, senior prosecutor Ms Mercy Yamangusho said she had not gotten the opportunity to look at the sureties. “Counsel has not told the court what the sureties do, and I have seen some two who are younger than the accused, and I think they will not force him to come back for trial. The offence the accused is charged with is violence against a woman, a girl, for that matter. The accused person is a police officer whose role is to keep law and order, and the fact that he has been charged with this offence leaves a lot to be desired,” she said.
According to her, the fact that the victim is a woman is an insult that a police officer, instead of protecting her, chose to assault her.
“This offence has gone viral, it is a public interest offence, and it affects how the public will think about the court. This is impunity of the highest order, where the court has to send a message to the public. The public out there is very bitter. It is for the good of the accused for his bail to be denied. Inquiries are still ongoing, and for those reasons, I reject his bail application to enable us to conclude with investigations and the law to take on,” the state attorney argued.
In his response, the defence lawyer said they had availed documents, including national IDs, indicating the sureties are 37, three years older than the suspect.
“One of the sureties is an ISO officer. I also draw the attention of the court to section 160 of MCA for the parties to reconcile. Courts implore us to reconcile what the accused has already done, and we have told the court. As regards the public bitterness, we pray that the court does not take the state’s submission from the bar, which is not supported. It is the same public that encourages reconciliation. I will end with the presumption of innocence. At this point, the court should not form its own opinions until the evidence is heard. Sureties have not been rejected, and the court should be pleased to take him as one who has fulfilled the conditions for bail,” he said.
The magistrate adjourned the proceedings to October 16 for the court’s ruling on bail.
Ms Atuhumurize told this publication last week that ASP Nsiima and a woman ordered a pack of condoms and two cans of beer, but they attempted to drive off without paying the bills, prompting her to prevent them from leaving, which angered them, leading to the attack captured on the shop’s CCTV camera.
‘A lady alighted from the car and walked to the counter. She asked me to pack her condoms, which I did. She told me that the money was in the car, so I should follow her and pick it,’ Ms Atuhumurize said.
‘When we reached the car, a gentleman inside the car told me to bring him two cans of Tusker Lite. I went back and brought them.’ Ms Atuhumurize said after handing over the items, the man attempted to drive off.
‘I grabbed his collar to prevent him from driving off without paying the bill. Then he stopped the car and got out. He followed me to the shop. He then started abusing me and other people who were in the shop. The man then slapped me twice,’ Ms Atuhumurize said.
A private security guard attached to Tayari Security attempted to stop the attack but the police officer continued with his aggression.
The former Police Chief Political Commissar, Mr Asan Kasingye, said on his social media platform that the guard works for Tayari Security, a private security firm he heads.
‘I was the first person to be informed. The security guard you see in the video belongs to @TayarisSecurity. There is even more to this story. I am happy it will be investigated thoroughly. Let the police involve us at the company. For example, a pistol was drawn,’ said Mr Kasingye, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police.
Vivo Energy Uganda, which owns the petrol station, condemned the attack.
‘We strongly condemn any form of violence or misconduct towards our staff or customers. We are in close contact with the attendant to ensure she receives the support she needs, and we are working with the Uganda Police to ensure the perpetrator is held accountable for his actions,’ a statement by Vivo Energy Uganda reads in part.
Other incidents in the country
Last year, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Julius Ahimbisibwe was suspected of shooting his ex-wife and injured her. Months later, SSP Ahimbisibwe was found dead in his home on suspicion that he had taken his life.
In February 2024, the Officer-in-charge of Alebtong District, ASP Moses Acaye, is alleged to have shot dead a civilian he accused of killing his relative in a mob action incident in Adjumani District.
ASP Acaye is still on the run. Another incident happened in December 2024, when a police officer, Constable Charles Bahati, shot dead a truck driver Julius Ssemwaka at Nakasero in Kampala City. Constable Bahati is still on the run.