Former Uganda Cranes Player Mike Mutyaba has petitioned the High Court in Kampala seeking to be compensated One Billion Shillings for the damages caused after he was assaulted at FUFA House two months ago.
Mutyaba through his lawyers of Kamulegeya and Company Advocates has sued Archeris Security Services Limited, an agency contracted to provide security at Federation for Uganda Football Association-FUFA House in Mengo for battering him.
Mutyaba contends that on April 9, he was in the company of other footballers in a peaceful demonstration against acts of corruption, discrimination, diversion of public resources aimed at improving the welfare of the players of the Uganda Cranes, abuse of office and the alleged continued failure of FUFA to pay players their dues.
During the demonstration, Mutyaba called for the resignation of FUFA President Moses Magogo for allegedly diverting allowances and bonuses for players who participated in the Africa Nations Championship and the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.
But the former Winger for Vipers, KCCA, Express, TP Mazembe(Democratic Republic of Congo) and El Merriekh (Sudan) was instead beaten and arrested and taken to Old Kampala Police Station from where he was released on bond after spending a night in cells.
Mutyaba says the employees or servants in charge of security at FUFA House interfered with the demonstration by dispensing him and denying him access to the premises, which violated his constitutional right to freedom of expression, to demonstrate peacefully and to petition.
“The respondent’s employees or servants further interfered with the said demonstration by subjecting the applicant to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by beating him with metallic pipes kicking and threatening to shoot the applicant”, reads the document in part.
The application is supported by Mutyaba’s affidavit who states that “due to the respondents’ employees Illegal and unconstitutional acts, I was subjected to considerable distress, humiliation and loss of divinity for which I hold the respondent liable to compensate me in general, punitive and aggravated damages.
Mutyaba who has since retired from professional football now wants the court to declare that the actions of security by beating him contravened the constitutional freedom guaranteed to him and he should therefore be compensated with one billion shillings as well as costs of the suit.
“In the interest of ensuring that the respondent and other private security companies respect fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution. It is fair, just and equitable for this Honourable Court to allow this application and grant the orders sought therein”, it adds.
The case file has been allocated to the head of the Civil Division Justice Musa Ssekaana who is yet to fix a date for hearing.
