Popular musician Bebe Cool being comforted by his father, Jaberi Bidandi Ssali at Nsambya Hospital yesterday morning. Looking on is the musician’s wife Zuena Kirema
Top musician Bebe Cool was yesterday in a “serious but stable” condition after a Policeman allegedly shot him during a scuffle still masked in controversy, Sunday Monitor has learnt.
Three other people - two being Bebe’s minders and the other David Oloka, a Special Police Constable – injured in the Friday night shooting, are receiving treatment at Nsambya and Mulago hospitals, respectively.
Dr Martin Nsubuga, the medical superintendent of Nsambya Hospital, said Bebe sustained “gunshot wounds” on both legs, forcing an immediate surgery.
“We explored the wounds and cleaned them to ensure all foreign matter is removed and with continuous dressing, he should improve soon,” he said, suggesting the musician would be able to resume stage performance but gave no timeline.
Bebe Cool’s minders injured in the fracas have been named as Godfrey Kayinza alias Cobra and Allan Musengere, who was hit in the ankle.
Zuena Kirema, the wife of the musician, whom this reporter found seated on the porch of Luigi Girardini Endoscopic Unit, which houses the theatre, said she witnessed the bloody incident at Effendys, a popular city hangout in Centenary Park, but was “too distressed” to speak to the media.
“The whole thing was bad,” she said before going quiet.
Employees of Effendys too declined to speak about the incident which early indications suggest may have its genesis in rivalry in the music industry.
Employees of Effendys too declined to speak about the incident which early indications suggest may have its genesis in rivalry in the music industry.
Hours before, the musician had performed, as one of the curtain raising acts, at the equally chaotic concert of American R’nB star Robert Kelly at Lugogo Cricket Ground where Police fired in the air to disperse a crowd that fought to force their way in when American went on stage while so many ticket holders were still queuing outside. Nearly a dozen merrymakers, allegedly caught with counterfeit show tickets, were arrested and are in custody at Jinja Road Police Station.
After the Lugogo performance, Bebe Cool reportedly ran into trouble with Police deployed there after attempting to force his way out through an emergency exit reserved for exclusive use by ambulances, fire tenders and R. Kelly’s entourage.
He then headed to Club Silk before dashing to Effendys around 3a.m.
Meanwhile, at Nsambya Hospital, a handful of Bebe’s relatives and fans, later joined by his father and People’s Progressive Party leader Bidandi Ssali, looked distraught but decided in comments to a battery of anxious journalists that only the musician would speak on the incident when he recuperates.
He then headed to Club Silk before dashing to Effendys around 3a.m.
Meanwhile, at Nsambya Hospital, a handful of Bebe’s relatives and fans, later joined by his father and People’s Progressive Party leader Bidandi Ssali, looked distraught but decided in comments to a battery of anxious journalists that only the musician would speak on the incident when he recuperates.
Immediate action
Detectives at Jinja Road Police station arrested Alfred Acihikan, an SPC who was on night patrol in the area, immediately after the incident and are holding him as a prime suspect.
“Investigations into the incident are underway; we have taken statements from some witnesses and will decide what charges to prefer against the suspect,” said Ms Judith Nabakooba, the Police spokesperson.
Detectives at Jinja Road Police station arrested Alfred Acihikan, an SPC who was on night patrol in the area, immediately after the incident and are holding him as a prime suspect.
“Investigations into the incident are underway; we have taken statements from some witnesses and will decide what charges to prefer against the suspect,” said Ms Judith Nabakooba, the Police spokesperson.
The narration of what transpired before the shooting, an account partly pegged to steamy romance, is as confusing as it is varied. One version, corroborated by witnesses; Lambert Ochowun, 23, and Charles Okot, 30, in their statements to Police is that two people were reportedly found having sex in a car at a nearby parking yard.
When Police asked the pair to vacate the place, the man reportedly telephoned Bebe Cool who reportedly dashed to the scene with his crew, one of whom allegedly attempted to disarm SPC Acihikan, now in custody, prompting the shooting.
When Police asked the pair to vacate the place, the man reportedly telephoned Bebe Cool who reportedly dashed to the scene with his crew, one of whom allegedly attempted to disarm SPC Acihikan, now in custody, prompting the shooting.
But SPC Oloka, who sustained a broken left leg in the fracas spoke to Sunday Monitor on his bed at Mulago Hospital, saying that he found his colleague Acihikan quarrelling with an advancing group of the musician shortly before the 3.30 a.m confrontation.
“He (Acihikan) cocked his gun and the situation was dangerous and getting worse,” Mr Oloka said, adding: “I think Bebe Cool must have said something very bad to him and immediately, I heard gunshots. Two bullets hit me and I fell down. Thereafter, my colleague whom I had advised not to shoot came and grabbed my gun and began shooting with it also.”
“He (Acihikan) cocked his gun and the situation was dangerous and getting worse,” Mr Oloka said, adding: “I think Bebe Cool must have said something very bad to him and immediately, I heard gunshots. Two bullets hit me and I fell down. Thereafter, my colleague whom I had advised not to shoot came and grabbed my gun and began shooting with it also.”
Self-defence?
Although the suspect says he acted in self-defence, Mr Ssali, who spoke to journalists at Nsambya Hospital after hearing his son’s version of the events leading up to the shooting, blamed the incident on ill-trained SPCs. “He (Bebe Cool) told me that he had an argument inside Effendys bar and when he decided to get away from the scene, he was confronted by Police officers,” Mr Ssali said, quoting his son.
Although the suspect says he acted in self-defence, Mr Ssali, who spoke to journalists at Nsambya Hospital after hearing his son’s version of the events leading up to the shooting, blamed the incident on ill-trained SPCs. “He (Bebe Cool) told me that he had an argument inside Effendys bar and when he decided to get away from the scene, he was confronted by Police officers,” Mr Ssali said, quoting his son.
Bebe Cool reportedly said: “When I tried to explain my case, the Police officers would not allow me to do so and before I realised, the Police officers had started shooting.”
The incident, whichever way it is explained, raises questions about the conduct of armed state security operatives, particularly their desire to fire at the slightest provocation, as well as the imposing attitude of star musicians that a government minister questioned moments before the shooting. In a statement issued on Friday, Ethics Minister Nsaba Buturo accused Uganda’s music celebrities of corrupting morals of their fans by allegedly “glamourising drug taking, prostitution, indecent dressing and foul talk”.
“I am appealing to artistes to be responsible and use their influence to speak about unity, development and morality,” the statement circulated to media houses by Uganda Media Centre quoted Dr Buturo as having said.
Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, the Inspector General of Police, who earlier in the day announced plans to draft local musicians and harness their popularity to promote road safety campaign, described the shooting as an “unfortunate incident”.
