Arua: Six police officers charged with neglect of duty on election eve

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Six senior police officers have appeared before the Police Disciplinary Court sitting at Arua town council hall chaired by Dennis Ogwong Odongpin for neglect of duty.

The officers are Jonathan Musinguzi, the former West Nile Region Police Commander, Abbas Senyonjo, the former Arua District Police Commander, Herbert Wanyoto, the former Regional Criminal Investigation Officer, Francis Onen, the former Regional Transport Officer, Edward Mugweri, the former Regional Crime Intelligence Officer and Robert Junena Akia, the then Field Force Unit Commander.

The charges stem from the chaos that broke out during the last day of the Arua municipality parliamentary by-election campaigns in August last year. Prosecution told that court that on August 13th, 2018 while deployed on duty, the officers failed to adequately deploy leading to the interruption of the President’s convoy by people on a caterpillar.

The opposition supporters reportedly pelted the president’s convoy with stones prompting his guards to open fire to disperse the mob.

One person was killed in the fracas and six others injured leading to the arrest of 36 people including the Arua Municipality MP, Kasiano Wadri and several others. The Police Disciplinary Court Chairman Dennis Ogwong Odongpin charged the officers with neglect of duty contrary to section 19 of the police code of conduct.

The officers, who appeared separately pleaded not guilty to the charges. “I was so touched that the President was embarrassed by people from the opposition on the fateful day. However, we were let down by some senior police officers from the police headquarters who were at the helm of security.

I therefore plead not guilty,” said Jonathan Musinguzi who was the first to appear. Abbas Senyonjo also pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying on the fateful day, he ran to the scene of crime but was haunted and humiliated by the Field Force Unit Commander who was in full control of security near Arua prisons.

“I felt sorry for the incident but I’m happy that the court has been constituted to hear from us,” Senyonjo said. Herbert Wanyoto, the former West Nile Region Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Officer denied charges of neglect of duty and allowing Mityana Municipality MP, Francis Zackay escape from lawful custody.

Francis Onen, the former Arua District Traffic Officer also pleaded not guilty neglect of duty for failing to control traffic on the fateful day that led to the interruption of the presidential convoy.

Edward Mugweri, the then West Nile Region Crime Intelligence officer also denied the charge of neglect of duty by failing to provide intelligence information that led to attack and injury on innocent civilians during the resultant chaos. Robert Junena Opio, the then Field Force Unit Commander who appeared last also denied the charge of neglect of duty when he failed to  deploy personnel to avert chaos leading to attacks on innocent civilians.

“I understand the charge and plead not guilty”, Opio told the Police Disciplinary Court. After the plea taking session, the Disciplinary Court Chairman, Dennis Ogwong Odongpin adjourned court, saying they will announce their course of action.