Police court: 300 officers charged
Some of the officers appear before the police Disciplinary Tribunal recently. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KATO
KAMPALA- At least 300 police officers, including 16 at senior ranks, have been charged before the police Disciplinary Tribunal in the last one year.
Many of the officers are at ranks between police constable (PC) and inspector of police (IP).
They were charged between May and October last year for various service offences which include refusing to go for a refresher course at Gadaffi Barracks in Jinja.
More than 160 officers charged with disobedience are either constables, corporals or sergeants whereas 87 are assistant inspectors of police (AIPs) and inspectors of police (IPs).
“It is unacceptable for an officer to decline going for a course unless he or she has a genuine reason. Such acts of disobedience are unacceptable in the police force,” Ms Katherine Kusemererwa, the police court prosecutor, told Daily Monitor yesterday.
Out of the 247 officers, who declined to go for fresh training at Gadaffi Barracks, only 21 were acquitted after presenting satisfactory explanation. Others were exonerated after their immediate supervisors said they had not received the message instructing them to send their juniors for the refresher training.
The officers convicted for disobedience, especially AIPs and IPs, have since been demoted.
Others of lower ranks like PCs have had their salaries halved and received severe reprimand.
Severe reprimand means an officer would be disgracefully dismissed from the Force if he or she commits another service offence.
The Police Prosecutor, SSP Kusemererwa, has dropped charges of negligence against SSP Ashraf Chemonges, SP Godfrey Abigaba, ASP Peter Okello and ASP Augistine Kasangwa.
The quartet had been accused of neglecting duty when they did not react upon receiving intelligence information that a criminal gang was planning to attack civilians in Namutumba District.
Asked whether the statistics reflect a generic rot in the Force, Ms Kusemererwa said in every institution there exist bad characters but added that the figures prove the police does not tolerate wrongdoers.
“The IGP [Inspector General of Police] is a person who does not condone any wrong elements in the Force. You misbehave, you will be dealt with accordingly,” she said.
