The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Up to 10 police officers are under probe for failing to prevent the murder of social worker, Maria Nagirinya and her part-time driver, Ronald Kitayimbwa.
The two were kidnapped on August 28 outside her gate in Lungujja, on the outskirts of Kampala and their bodies recovered three days later from Nakitutulu village in Nama sub county, Mukono district.
Following her death, Nagirinya’s family led by her father Francis Lubowa and former Buganda kingdom minister Dr Ben Mukwaya blamed her death on police negligence. They said that her life could have been saved if police acted as soon as it was alerted about her kidnap.
The family insists that they run to several police stations among others Katwe, Nateete and Old Kampala but was instead toast up and down until her Spacio vehicle registration number UBA 570V was no longer visible on the Closed Circuit Television – CCTV network.
Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga told Uganda Radio Network- URN that the Professional Standards Unit – PSU investigating the allegations. He says that 10 police officers, including three ASPs and seven Constables, were briefly arrested on charges of negligence and released after recording statements.
Another source who preferred anonymity said that up to 22 police personnel were questioned. The source added that the decision to release the officers on police bond was revoked for fear of contradicting President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directive to have them arrested, prosecuted and dismissed from Uganda police force.
Museveni on Tuesday night said on his social media platforms that CCTV security cameras were helping to expose the weakness and criminal allies in the Uganda Police Force. Museveni wondered why the police never acted swiftly to rescue Nagirinya despite the family efforts.
“Take the case of Nagirinya. When she was kidnapped, the relatives immediately informed the Police of Kibumbiro Police post at Nateete… The officer there should have informed all the Police units and patrol cars and the camera centres about the type of car that had been hi-jacked,” Museveni said.
Museveni said the Policemen in the camera centres were asleep, only waking up to “retrieve” pictures from the memory of the cameras.
“Rubbish. You are not only supposed to retrieve pictures that happened some hours ago. You are supposed to watch live and tell the patrol vehicles to act promptly. All these have been arrested. I have directed that all involved must be tried, sentenced, punished and dismissed from the Police. Moreover, they should never work in any Gov’t department ever, again,” Museveni said.
Enanga said it is possible that PSU has expanded investigations after engaging with the deceased’s family.
Nagirinya’s suspected killers have been arrested and taken to reconstruct the alleged crime scenes. They are known by their pseudo names as Barosa and Arsenal who confesses that he was the one captured by CCTV driving the deceased’s car after they had killed them.
The group disclosed the information to security teams comprising the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence – CMI, Flying Squad Unit – FSU, Criminal Investigations Directorate – CID and Joint Ant-Terrorism Task Team –JATT.
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