Housing boss in stand-off with cops
By JULIA DAIA BORE
A POLICE contingent of 24 fully-armed policemen fronted up at the National Housing Corporation (NHC) managing director Paul Asukusa’s Tokarara residents last Sunday (about 4.30 pm) to take him in for questioning.
This resulted in a stand-off as Mr Asukusa refused to go with them, and instead called his lawyers.
In a statement released yesterday, Mr Asukusa alleged that the arrest was politically motivated and said he was not certain, why the policemen turned up to arrest him.
But National Capital District (NCD) metropolitan supt Fred Yakasa defended the police action, saying it was a procedural matter.
He said Asusuka was required to come forward and answer questions on complaints made some time back in relation to a “minor misappropriation” charge.
Mr Yakasa said the matter was not in relation to Mr Asukusa’s current court proceedings against the NHC board of directors and the Minister.
The NCD police chief said based on the complaints, the police officers had carried out their normal investigations into the matter and as there is “credible evidence” to necessitate further investigations of Mr Asukusa.
This was why his men fronted up at his home to arrest him, which he said was normal police work.
Mr Yakasa said under the situation, there was no need for a warrant of arrest to be issued for Mr Asukusa to turn up at the Boroko police station for further questioning.
He added that because Mr Asukusa did not want to come willingly with his officers to the Boroko police station, he was asked to come himself the following morning (early yesterday morning).
However, Mr Asukusa did not comply with the request.
“As a result we served him another, request to present himself at 4 pm yesterday afternoon proved unsuccessful too,” Mr Yakasa said.
He said Mr Asukusa should “come on his own and present himself to the Boroko police station” for the police questioning.
“We respect him as the managing director of the National Housing Corporation.
All we ask is for him to present himself to the Boroko police station for my men to ask him a few questions regarding the complaints laid against him,” the NCD police chief said.
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