IGP Ochola reshuffles Lamwo police bosses over alleged corruption

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Martin Okoth Ochola has transferred and replaced three senior police bosses in Lamwo District over alleged corruption and abuse of office.

Police commander for Aswa East, Anatoli Katungwesigye, confirmed the development, stating that it was intended to boost crime prevention and restore community trust in law enforcement.

He added that other internal transfers of over 100 police officers were also done across the Aswa East region to improve services.

According to the changes, Mr Juston Tugaineyo, the District Police Commander (DPC), and Mr Alex Bwongyererwa, the officer in charge of criminal investigations at Lamwo Central Police Station were replaced by Mr Ivan Nuwagaba and Mr Serapio Kwebiiha as District Police Commander and officer in charge of criminal investigations respectively.

The pair (Mr Tugaineyo and Mr Bwongyererwa) were withdrawn and taken to the Human Resources department at Police headquarters.

In the meantime, a new officer in charge of Lamwo Central Police Station is yet to be deployed following the suspension of Julius Twesigye.

Monitor established that the transfers were a result of a petition filed against the officers by Lamwo District leaders alleging they were extorting money from suspects and complainants and using their offices to engage in criminal activities, including illegal logging and charcoal trade.

The petition was written by Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the Lamwo Resident District Commissioner to the office of the Inspector General of Police demanding the transfer of these particular officers following numerous complaints against them by the community.

In the petition, Mr Oceng alleged that the senior officers had turned into alcoholics, sold exhibits like livestock recovered from suspects, sold impounded bags of charcoal, and received bribes from suspects.

The officers were also accused of tampering with sanctioned case files, corruption, harassment against investigating officers, alleged theft, and setting up illegal checkpoints on the border.

Other allegations included misconduct, receiving money from the community to do farming in South Sudan areas and escorting charcoal, protecting non-compliant cattle keepers.

Last October, four senior police officers attached to Lamwo Central Police Station were arrested on allegations of mismanagement of case files and violating Executive Order No. 3 of 2023 which bans the charcoal trade.

Mr Oceng applauded the police leadership for the new changes. “We thank the IGP’s office for hearing our cry and transferring the officers who have been frustrating our efforts in fighting crime and restoring order among the people," he said in an interview on Monday.