Police officer held over report to Museveni

Kampala: Assistant Superintendent of police Steven Mugarura perhaps regrets why he reported his senior colleagues to President Museveni and the Inspector General of Police for allegedly abetting crime.
Under other circumstances, the officer may have received a commendation for distinguished public service. Instead, ASP Mugarura’s whistleblowing activities have landed him behind bars.
He was dragged before the police disciplinary panel yesterday where he listened, barely containing his emotions, as six counts were slapped against him.
He was charged with petitioning President Museveni outside of normal channels of correspondence; without going through the Inspector General of Police.
The charge, according to police court chairman Senior Commissioner of Police (SCP), Denis Odongpiny and State prosecutor Catherine Kushemererwa, amounts to breach of confidence contrary to section 44(1) e of the Police Act Cap 303.
Visibly furious, Mr Mugarura pleaded not guilty. He maintained that he had indeed addressed his report to IGP Kale Kayihura, the President and other senior officers.
Mr Odongpiny was having none of this as he intoned: “ASP Mugarura on count four you are accused of breaching confidence by petitioning the President, what is your plea? to which he responded, I am not guilty”.
The accused officer had been CID chief in Kabarole until a few months ago. Then he compiled and shared his report in which several police directors, commissioners and senior superintendents were being accused of hobnobbing with criminals.
It does not seem to matter that Ms Kushemererwa acknowledges that the petition was indeed received by the President, who is the Commander in Chief of the country’s armed forces. As far as the police brass is concerned, Gen Kayihura and other senior officers deny receiving copies of his document.

Charges
ASP Mugarura was also charged with discreditable or irregular conduct contrary to section 44 (1) Code 12 of the Police Act. The police claim that he acted in a disorderly manner when he allegedly stole motor vehicle parts while CID commander at Kabarole Police Station.
Another accusation is of prevarication contrary to Section 44 (1) Code 15 of the Police Act for destroying an entry by a colleague regarding an impounded vehicle without good and sufficient cause.
Other charges slapped against ASP Mugarura include unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority contrary to section 41 (1) Code 24 (a) and (b) of the Police Act, and absence from duty without leave contrary to section 44 (1) Code 20 (a) and (b) of the Police Act.
His case was adjourned to next Tuesday, May 2. He was led back to the cells, where he has been held since last Friday, since he did not have a trusted relative or senior cop to stand surety.
Separately, the same court also started trying Constable Benon Matsiko, a police driver accused of knocking down a supporter of Opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye in Kyebando in July last year. He was charged with behaving in a scandalous manner contrary to section 41 (1), a charge he denied.
There was some drama in court when Namayingo Resident District Commissioner Sylvester Obira who had been brought as a state witness instead turned hostile and defended the four superintendents of police: Sharaf Chemonges, the RPC Busoga East; SP Godfrey Abigaba, former Namayingo DPC; ASP Peter Okello and ASP Augustine Kasangwa.
The four have been accused of neglecting duty, a failure which allowed an attack on a police station in Namayingo District from where three guns were stolen.
Ms Kushererwa told the court that they neglected their duty in May and June last year by not acting upon intelligence alerts that an organised group was planning to attack the area.
Their alleged failure to act allowed violent activities of the group to cause the death of some people.

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