Kampala — With cotton wool in both his ears and one of his eyes covered with a plaster, Mr Jim Twebaze, 25, is fighting for his life. The clinic bed has become his home for a month now.

"Pain is all over my body. My right eye can't see and blood is oozing from my ears. I fear that I may lose my hearing ability," Mr Twebaze said. He has also undergone a surgery in his abdomen. Mr Twebaze's injuries and suffering was inflicted upon him by the people who were employed to protect him.

He says Premier Security guards intercepted him after he had escorted his friends at Bugolobi Flats. The guards put him at gun point and allegedly stripped him of all his belongings; beat him up before they detained him on suspicious that he was a thief. The six guards were later arrested and detained on robbery and unlawful confinement.

Despite his situation, Mr Twebaze is happy that he is still alive. He is one of the many people that have fallen victim to torture by armed personnel. Records at the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), a unit handling violent crimes, indicate that crimes committed by armed private security guards and army deserters against civilians are crawling back to light.

There are reports that some Uganda Peoples Defence Forces soldiers are either hiring out guns or conspire with criminals to terrorise travellers on highways. In April, 2009, RRU arrested Private Isaiah Ahimbisibwe, an army deserter, and his accomplice Jamada Tababimanya in Isingiro District on allegations of robbery and illegal possession of a fire arm.

The soldier hired a gun to Mr Tababimanya, at Shs300,000 a month, to carry out highway robberies. Police were able to arrest them and recovered 125 bullets. In Busia District, RRU operatives arrested Mr Peter Okumu alias Olago on allegations of carrying out armed robbery in Paliisa District. The AK47 gun he was using had been given to him by his brother Pte. Mangeni, who is currently on the run, to carry out armed robbery in Kenya and on the eastern highway.

Misuse of fire arms among security organs has been on the rise. Recently, a state operative, Ramathan Magara, was found guilty of killing two Forum for Democratic Change supporters at Bulange, Mengo, in February 2006 and he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Several other police officers are in courts of law on allegations related to misuse of their guns. Former Mukono District Police Commander Peter Aurien is one of the high profile officers battling with felony charges. He is expected to appear in High Court next week on charges of shooting his wife to death.

Police records show that death by shooting is the third highest contributor of homicide cases with 351 out of 2,753 deaths reported last year. Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba has for the last six months been telling the media that private security firms whose guards have committed the most crimes would be closed.

"The crimes guards are committing against their masters are still high. This action is intended to discipline firms that have failed to live up to the required standards," she said. However, to-date no firm has been closed in relation to murder.