The Uganda Police have arrested Mercy Timbitwire Bashisha for allegedly assaulting a traffic police officer.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 18, 2024, at around 11:55 AM, when an officer from Jinja Road Police Station attempted to stop her for reportedly causing an accident.
According to police report, Timbitwire, driving a white Toyota Land Cruiser (registration No. UBM 439T), ignored the officer’s signals to pull over and continued driving while using her phone. The officer managed to catch up with her at the Lugogo traffic lights, where she parked at the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) premises.
When the officer requested her driving permit, Timbitwire allegedly responded by intimidating and assaulting him instead of complying. The situation escalated further when she reportedly seized the officer’s EPS gadget and two of his phones. Following the altercation, she was taken into custody as investigations began.
A video of the incident surfaced online, quickly going viral on social media. The footage shows Timbitwire confronting the officer, attempting to record his badge number. When the officer reached for her phone, she pushed him, causing him to stumble and lose his beret.
The situation intensified when she slapped the officer and accused him of damaging her phone, angrily questioning, “Are you supposed to touch me? Am I your wife?”
The video concludes with the officer removing the number plate from her vehicle as Timbitwire attempts to reclaim it.
The Uganda Police have confirmed that Timbitwire remains in detention, and the investigation is ongoing.
