“They beat me with cable wire” — Carpenter accuses Sandema soldiers of assault
A 37‑year‑old carpenter in Sandema, Mr. Ateng Awonyaami Fidelis, popularly known as Waymaker, has alleged that he was assaulted by military personnel stationed at the Sandema Military Base after he publicly criticised the poor state of road infrastructure and raised concerns over what he described as shoddy work on the Chuchuliga–Sandema road.
According to Mr. Fidelis, the incident occurred on Saturday, August 22, 2026, when some military personnel arrived at his carpentry shop and informed him that their Commander wanted to engage him for carpentry work at the barracks.
He said he asked for clarification on the nature of the work, but the personnel insisted that the Commander was waiting in their vehicle and wanted to speak with him directly.
“I asked them what type of carpentry work their Commander wanted me to do, but they insisted that the Commander was in the vehicle and wanted to speak with me,” he recounted.
Mr. Fidelis said that when he approached the vehicle, he was allegedly pushed inside and driven straight to the military base.
“When I got closer to the vehicle, they quickly pushed me inside and took me to the barracks,” he alleged.
Upon arrival, he claimed the personnel seized his mobile phone and deleted files, including videos and photographs.
“They took my phone from me and deleted all the files on it, including my videos and pictures,” he said.
He alleged that the Commander confronted him over videos he had recorded about the condition of roads in the area, particularly the Chuchuliga–Sandema stretch, reminding him that he had previously been warned against publishing such content.
“They told me that I had already been warned not to do videos about the road issues in Sandema,” he stated.
Mr. Fidelis further alleged that he was subjected to severe physical assault, including repeated slaps and beatings with a cable wire.
“I was severely beaten with a cable wire and they also slapped me several times. At a point, they made me roll on the ground,” he said.
He claimed that about seven military personnel were present, though only three actively participated in the alleged assault.
“There were about seven of them, but it was three of the military personnel who actually engaged in beating me,” he added.
He said he was eventually released but warned never to record or circulate videos about roads in the area again.
“After they released me, they warned me that I should never do any video concerning the roads in the area again.”
Following his release, Mr. Fidelis was rushed to the Sandema Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment.
“I was quickly taken to the Sandema Hospital, where I was admitted for treatment.”
According to him, medical examinations revealed that his eardrums had been affected, which he attributed to the severity of the slaps.
“The doctor’s report indicated that my eardrums had been affected because of the severity of the slaps I received.”
Speaking about his current condition, he said he is trying to recover but remains emotionally distressed.
“I am trying to get better, but emotionally, it has not been easy for me.”
Mr. Fidelis, who has been vocal about the poor condition of roads in the area, is appealing to state institutions, security authorities, human rights organisations, and other stakeholders to intervene and ensure a thorough investigation.
“I am appealing to the authorities and all relevant institutions to intervene and allow justice to take its course.”
He maintained that citizens should be able to raise concerns about development challenges without fear of intimidation or violence.
“I was only advocating for better roads for the people. We should be able to speak about development challenges in our communities without being attacked or intimidated.”
Mr. Fidelis is calling for an independent investigation into the alleged incident and appropriate action if wrongdoing is established.
The allegations have not yet been independently verified, and the military personnel involved have not publicly responded. Their account will be necessary for a complete and balanced understanding of the incident.