Patricia Apolot, wife of retired Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu, has disputed claims that security forces recovered firearms and ammunition from their family residence in Soroti, alleging that the weapons were deliberately planted by soldiers during a raid.
Apolot’s allegations come after Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced on October 27 that security personnel had recovered guns and ammunition from one of Elwelu’s homes in Teso.
In a post on X, Muhoozi claimed that the retired general had been stockpiling weapons and gave him an ultimatum to surrender, warning that he would otherwise be declared a rebel and dealt with accordingly.
Recounting the events surrounding the security operation, Apolot said a group of armed personnel, some dressed in military uniform and others in civilian clothing, arrived at their residence in Awoja Parish, Soroti District, at approximately 7:30 pm on Monday last week.
She said the operatives initially appeared friendly but became increasingly aggressive when they failed to establish her husband’s whereabouts.
According to Apolot, she informed them that Elwelu had left home for prayers more than two weeks earlier and had not returned or contacted her since. The security personnel reportedly confiscated her two mobile phones and those belonging to her sisters before questioning her about her husband’s prolonged silence.
She questioned why her husband’s lack of communication was being treated as suspicious, arguing that silence alone could not be interpreted as evidence of wrongdoing.
Apolot further claimed that the soldiers accused her of being instructed by Elwelu on what to tell them before turning their attention to young men who were present at the residence. She said the operatives searched the compound before seeking her permission to enter the main house, where they inspected bedrooms, kitchen areas, drawers and bathrooms.
However, she insisted that the search initially yielded no firearms.Apolot said tensions escalated when the soldiers encountered a locked room containing money that Elwelu had reportedly left behind to facilitate ongoing construction work.
She alleged that the operatives suspected the room was being used to conceal weapons, despite her explanation that it contained money and that the family did not allow firearms to remain accessible because of the children.
In a more serious accusation, Apolot claimed that some soldiers who remained around the property later placed guns inside the kitchen.She maintained that the firearms had not been there before the operation and suggested that their discovery was deliberately orchestrated to implicate her husband.
She also explained that weapons previously used by soldiers assigned to Elwelu’s protection were stored in a designated armoury at their Anyara residence.
According to her, the AK-47 rifles reportedly recovered from the Anyara property belonged to members of the security team assigned to guard the retired general.
Apolot further claimed that President Yoweri Museveni had earlier promised Elwelu firearms for personal protection following his retirement. However, she said the weapons were subsequently withdrawn, alongside some of the soldiers assigned to his security detail. She alleged that the family was left with only six security personnel, whose firearms were reportedly kept away while they were at home.
Beyond the disputed weapons recovery, Apolot accused security operatives of repeatedly monitoring and intimidating the family, claiming that suspicious individuals had visited their properties and photographed Elwelu under unusual circumstances.
She also alleged that more than Shs2 million went missing during the operation, saying the money had been entrusted to her by her husband for construction activities.
The retired general’s wife expressed anguish over social media allegations portraying Elwelu as a criminal or someone plotting to overthrow the government, insisting that he had faithfully served the same establishment.
She also dismissed claims circulating online that she had physically assaulted her husband, describing the allegations as false and insisting that they had never engaged in a physical fight.
Apolot revealed that Elwelu had previously expressed fears about the treatment retired senior military officers could face after leaving active service. She recalled him warning that military generals rarely experienced peaceful retirement and that they could eventually face confrontations with people they had previously served.
Her allegations emerge amid growing uncertainty surrounding Elwelu’s reported detention and increasing calls from residents and leaders in Teso for clarification about his whereabouts.The controversy has attracted public attention, particularly following Muhoozi’s threats against the retired general and subsequent reports linking him to alleged subversive activities.
Military spokesperson Colonel Chris Magezi previously stated on X that Elwelu was being held over suspected subversive conduct.However, the government has not publicly provided a comprehensive account addressing Apolot’s allegations of planted weapons, missing money and the circumstances surrounding the security operation.
