Military Court Martial Releases Ex-Police Flying Squad Boss, Herbert Muhangi.

Former commander of the Police Flying Squad Unit, ACP Herbert Muhangi.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Herbert Muhangi, the former commander of the Police Flying Squad Unit, has again been granted temporary freedom after the General Court Martial reinstated his bail.

The military court sitting in Makindye, was presided over by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti.

Muhangi who was in the morning in company of his sureties ACP Elvis Byamugisha and Emmanuel Muheirwe a lecturer at Makerere University, is expected back in court on February 10 this year for mention.

Muhangi was first arrested by by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) in June 2018 and charged before the Court Martial with aiding and abetting kidnap and repatriation of Rwandan refugees back to Rwanda against their own will.

He is accused alongside former Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, former Director of Crime Intelligence in Police, Col Atwooki Ndahura, SSP Nixon Agasirwe and others. Kayihura and Ndahura have since been released.

Muhangi was however released by the same court on a non-cash bail of Shs 10 million. His sureties were also bonded at Shs 5 million non-cash and his movements were restricted to Kampala and Wakiso districts as one of his bail conditions.

However, he was re-arrested by security personnel outside the court immediately after coming coming out of the court room.

Prosecution alleges that between the year 2012 and 2016, by omission and commission, the group aided and abetted the actions of subordinate police officers and others on various occasions without hindrance to kidnap and illegally repatriate Rwandan exiles, refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda.

The victims include Lt. Joel Mutabazi, a former bodyguard of the Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Jackson Karemera and Sgt. Innocent Karisa.

Muhangi lost his Senior position as commander of the Police Flying Squad in June 2018, following a reshuffle by IGP Okoth Ochola.

His time at the helm of the Flying Squad was characterized by several accusations against him and the uncouth dealings of the Unit.

He was at the receiving end of allegations of corruption, torture while operatives of the Unit, previously mandated to curb sophisticated crime were accused of conniving with criminals.