Policeman arrested for aiding escape of acid attack suspect
What you need to know:
- Mr Lameck Kigozi , the Southern Regional Police Spokesperson said they rushed the victim to Kalisizo
hospital but they were referred to Masaka Regional Hospital because she had sustained serious burns. - In 2009, results from a survey carried out by Acid Survivors Foundation Uganda (ASFU) on acid attacks indicated that acid is readily available in retail shops in Kampala and is traded as any other commodity on the market.
Police in Kyotera District are holding one of their officers for reportedly aiding an acid attack suspect to escape from custody.
The accused officer is attached to Kyotera police station in Kyotera District.
The fugitive and his accomplices, also still at large, are accused of attacking one Sharifah Nankalubo, a shop attendant at Kakooma trading centre, Kalisizo Rural Sub County in Kyotera District with acid over unknown reasons.
Police investigations indicate that Nankalubo was approached by three men on Monday night
posing as customers before they attacked her with acid.
Mr Nuhu Banga, one of Nankalubo's neighbours said the assailants took advantage of the fact that she was alone at the shop to attack.
He said that the suspects first asked the attendant to give them cigarettes and chewing gum before the attack.
Mr Banga told police that they were attracted by Nankalubo’s alarm.
“We tried to pursue the attackers but two of them escaped and we managed to get only one,” he said.
Locals pounced on the suspect and started beating him before police intervened to save him.
Mr Lameck Kigozi , the Southern Regional Police Spokesperson said they rushed the victim to Kalisizo
hospital but they were referred to Masaka Regional Hospital because she had sustained serious burns.
Kigozi said police are investigating allegations that the victim has been receiving threatening phone calls from anonymous people.
“We have started a hunt for the suspects,” he said.
Acid cases in Uganda
In 2009, results from a survey carried out by Acid Survivors Foundation Uganda (ASFU) on acid attacks indicated that acid is readily available in retail shops in Kampala and is traded as any other commodity on the market.
With a litre of acid costing between Shs2, 000 and Shs3, 000 its accessibility limited by unimplemented guidelines from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), the number of victims is expected to go higher. Since 1985, only 421 victims have filed complaints against their perpetrators with the police. Of these, 55 percent are women while 45 percent are men.
