Eight police officers arrested over terror suspects’ escape
What you need to know:
Police in Kampala have arrested eight and hunting for three more of their own officers following the escape of five suspects from a prison cell at Special Investigations Department in Kireka.
KAMPALA. Police in Kampala have arrested eight and hunting for three more of their own officers following the escape of five suspects from a prison cell at Special Investigations Department in Kireka.
Four of the suspects were being held over terrorism related charges while the other was on the charges of illegal entry into the country.
The suspects escaped on Friday night at around 1am from custody. The suspects are said to have escaped through the roof after drilling a hole in the ceiling and cutting the iron sheet of one of the bathrooms at the detention area.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said on Monday that the eight who were on duty are being investigated as they could have aided the suspects’ escape.
The eight were arrested at the weekend and are currently held at Nsambya detention center.
“We have arrested them for questioning because they were on duty on the night the suspects escaped from custody,” Mr Enanga told journalists at police headquarters in Naguru.
According to Mr Enanga, the suspects escaped at a time (between 1am and 3am) when police officers should be alert.
“At that time, criminals are very active, we expect and we always tell our officers to be on high alert,” Mr Enanga said.
He added: “This is the first of its kind (escape) and it involves potentially dangerous suspects. We ask the public to be very careful and vigilant and also provide us with information that may lead to their re-arrest of fugitives.”
Meanwhile, the three detectives who are on the run had absconded from duty on the night the said suspects escaped from custody.
“The detectives had not worked but we summoned them (although) they have since disappeared,” Mr Enanga said.
According to police, the four terror suspects had been arrested from Rwenzori and Bukwo over their alleged involvement in Allied Democratic Forces’ (ADF) rebel group activities while the other was arrested three years ago at the Uganda-Congo border over illegal entry.
In 2013, seven suspects including murder suspects took advantage of negligent officers and dilapidated prison walls and escaped from Fort Portal Central police.
