A high-ranking Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) officer at the rank of Brigadier General is under investigation following allegations that he flogged and caned two police officers at Bulucheke Police Station in Bududa District. The General reportedly accused the officers of delaying a criminal case involving his relatives.
According to a police case file (CRB 111/2026), the incident occurred on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at around 7:40 PM. The army general faces three counts, including assault of police officers on duty, threatening violence, and theft.
A police source revealed that the General, accompanied by his bodyguards, arrived at the station and ordered his guards to summon Detective Corporal David Olar.
‘The suspect stood outside holding a long stick. When the officer approached him and paid compliments, the General grabbed him by his collar, threw him to the ground, and cocked his pistol,’ the source recalled. ‘He furiously demanded to know why his relatives are never handled well whenever they report cases to that station.’
The furious military officer then allegedly ordered D/CPL Olar to lie on the ground before flogging him.
Seeing the assault unfold, Detective Constable Rebecca Nakami, a crime intelligence officer, used her mobile phone to record the incident. However, this drew the wrath of the General and his security detail.
‘DC Nakami got concerned and started video recording the incident. Instead, the General grabbed her phone, slapped her severely, and ordered her to delete whatever she had recorded. He then confiscated her phone,’ a source privy to the investigation stated.
The dramatic incident was witnessed by several civilians who had gone to the station to follow up on their own legal matters. D/CPL Olar sustained knee injuries during the assault and was later treated at a medical facility, where a medical report was filed as evidence. DC Nakami is yet to recover her phone.
The Elgon Regional Police Spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rogers Taitika, confirmed the incident on Thursday, June 25, 2026, noting that joint investigations are underway.
‘It is true. We are investigating the matter,’ SP Taitika said, adding that both the police and the UPDF are jointly handling the inquiry. Sources indicate that the General is yet to be formally summoned to record a statement.
Insiders reveal that the General’s actions stem from a minor traffic accident involving his relative a few weeks ago. The relative had reportedly visited the station multiple times without the investigations being concluded, leading the military officer to take matters into his own hands.
‘The General has a history of attacking police officers, yet no action has ever been taken against him, likely because he is feared,’ an inside source claimed.
This incident highlights a worrying and recurring trend of military personnel raiding police stations and assaulting law enforcement officers in Uganda.
In June 2025, heavily armed soldiers attached to the Presidential Task Force on Land Matters and the Environment raided Wakiso Police Division. Traveling in four Toyota Hiace vans (commonly known as ‘drones’), the soldiers besieged the District Police Commander (DPC) and her personal assistant, firing several bullets after accusing the police of failing to cooperate in a land dispute.
A month prior, in May 2025, soldiers raided Lubowa Police Station, beating up police officers-including the Officer-in-Charge-and civilians. The soldiers robbed victims of money, phones, and government stores after the police declined to detain eight individuals brought in by the military.
Despite police opening serious charges, including attempted murder and aggravated robbery, against the soldiers in the previous incidents, none of those cases have been concluded.