SOROTI, Uganda — The wife of retired Ugandan Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu has disputed military claims that security forces recovered firearms and ammunition from the former deputy army chief’s properties, alleging that soldiers planted weapons during a raid on their home in Soroti.
Patricia Apolot said armed security personnel searched their residence in Awoja Parish, Soroti District, but found no guns before some officers allegedly placed weapons in the kitchen.
Her account directly contradicts statements by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who announced on October 27 that security operatives had recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition from one of Elwelu’s homes in the Teso sub-region.
“Some of the arms ‘Private Elweru’ was stockpiling at one of his homes in Teso. We have recovered a lot of arms and ammunition from his house. He has hours to surrender before we declare him a rebel and deal with him accordingly,” Gen. Muhoozi posted on X.
The military has subsequently alleged that 15 firearms, military fatigues and two pickup trucks were recovered in operations linked to the retired general. UPDF spokesperson Col Chris Magezi said Elwelu was suspected of involvement in activities aimed at destabilising Teso.
However, Apolot has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the weapons reportedly recovered from the family property were not there before the security operation.
Wife recounts late-night security raid
Apolot said the operation at their Awoja residence began at approximately 7:30pm, when a fleet of vehicles carrying security personnel arrived at the property.
She said some of the operatives were dressed in military uniform while others wore civilian clothes. They questioned her about her husband’s whereabouts and demanded to speak to him.
Apolot told them Elwelu had left for prayers more than two weeks earlier and had not returned or communicated with her.
“It was about 7:30 pm when a fleet of cars arrived at our home. When they came in, they were polite at first, but as the conversation went on, they didn’t get what they wanted. Because they asked to speak to Afande, I told them it had been over two weeks since he went for prayers and had not yet returned, and I had not heard from him, because normally, when he goes for prayers, he wants to be isolated. They said I was joking,” she narrated.
According to Apolot, the officers questioned why a former senior government official would remain silent and out of contact for such a prolonged period.
“I was like, since when has silence become a problem in this country? Someone being silent, does it mean he is doing something bad?,” she said.
She alleged that the security personnel subsequently accused her of being coached by her husband and questioned young men at the residence about their relationship with him.
Apolot said some officers searched the compound while others requested permission to inspect the main house. She said she allowed them to proceed, after which they searched the kitchen, drawers, bedrooms and bathrooms.
She maintained that the search initially yielded no firearms.
Apolot accuses soldiers of planting weapons
The retired general’s wife said the security personnel became particularly interested in a locked room where she had kept money left by her husband for construction work.
She alleged that the officers suspected the room was being used to conceal firearms and demanded that she open it.
“They shouted at me, ‘open’, we know that’s diversion, we know that’s where afande has kept his guns.’ I told them afande does not allow guns to loiter; we have kids. Even the soldiers who [guard] us here, they lock away their guns,” she said.
Apolot claimed that some of the soldiers who remained at the property later planted weapons in the kitchen while the search was underway.
“I think they were the ones that were sent to plant the guns. The door of the kitchen was open, so they put the guns there, because there was no gun, no pistol,” she alleged.
The allegation has not been independently verified, and the military has not publicly provided a detailed account addressing her specific claim that weapons were planted.
Apolot also alleged that more than Shs2 million belonging to the family went missing during the security operation. She said the money had been entrusted to her by Elwelu to facilitate construction work.
Family disputes claims over weapons at Anyara home
Apolot also addressed claims concerning firearms allegedly recovered from the family’s other property in Anyara, saying weapons previously kept there belonged to soldiers assigned to provide security for her husband.
She said the property had a small armoury where firearms belonging to Elwelu’s former security detail were stored.
According to Apolot, President Yoweri Museveni had promised Elwelu firearms for his personal protection after retirement, but the weapons were subsequently withdrawn alongside some of the soldiers assigned to guard him.
“The guns were taken, and even some of the soldiers were taken back, and we remained with only six soldiers whose guns were even kept away while they were at home,” she said.
Her explanation presents a different account of the weapons allegedly recovered during the security operations. However, the precise number, ownership and circumstances surrounding the recovery of the firearms remain matters requiring clarification from the military.
Wife raises concerns over surveillance and alleged harassment
Beyond the weapons controversy, Apolot accused security personnel of repeatedly monitoring and intimidating the family, both while Elwelu was serving in the military and after his retirement.
She alleged that suspicious individuals had visited their properties on several occasions, sometimes disguising themselves as mentally ill people while taking photographs of the retired general.
“All this is intended to humiliate him to the dot, to the point of no return,” she said.
Apolot also rejected social media claims that she had physically assaulted her husband, insisting that their marriage had never involved such confrontations.
“How do I beat my husband? He loves me, and we have never been in any fight. If the person who talked about that could know how I am pampered by the general, let him come and ask this community around,” she said.
She expressed distress over allegations portraying Elwelu as a criminal and someone plotting to overthrow the government, arguing that he had served the state loyally throughout his military career.
“To me it’s so painful to see my husband written as a criminal, someone who wants to overthrow government, and yet he was loyal to them and served to their best wish,” she said.
Elwelu arrested amid allegations of destabilising Teso
Apolot’s account comes amid escalating tensions surrounding Elwelu’s reported disappearance, the security operations at his properties and his subsequent arrest.
On November 2, military spokesperson Col Chris Magezi announced that security forces had arrested the retired general in Soroti City following a manhunt over alleged subversive activities and plans to destabilise the Teso sub-region.
Magezi said security forces had recovered 15 guns, military fatigues and two pickup trucks allegedly linked to Elwelu, adding that he would face prosecution.
Also Read: Retired UPDF Gen Peter Elwelu arrested in Soroti
The military has not, however, publicly provided a detailed account of the specific acts underpinning the allegations or disclosed the precise charges Elwelu is expected to face. His detention location has also remained unclear in reports.
The arrest has triggered concern among sections of the Teso community, with local leaders and residents calling for clarity over his whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his detention.
Apolot also recalled that her husband had previously warned her about the difficulties retired military officers could face after leaving active service.
“Some time back the general told me that, ‘My wife, as you are sitting, know that for us generals, no general has ever retired peacefully. At a given time these people are coming for us,’” she said.
She added that Elwelu had repeatedly cautioned her about the possibility of security personnel coming for him, even after his retirement.
The competing accounts have left unanswered questions about the alleged weapons recovery, the ownership of the firearms and the evidence underpinning the accusations against the former deputy army chief.
While the military maintains that Elwelu is suspected of involvement in activities aimed at destabilising Teso, his wife insists that the family is being unfairly targeted and that the weapons allegedly recovered from their property were planted.
The allegations now place greater scrutiny on the need for a transparent account of the security operations and the evidence authorities intend to rely on in pursuing the case against the retired general.
