Police Constables arrested for stealing beer
Police in Rakai district have arrested three Special Police Constables (SPCs) in Ddwaniro Sub County for allegedly stealing beer from one of the residents.
The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon in Buyamo village when the three SPCs condoned off a retail shop belonging to one Jane Nakagaayi, accusing her of selling beer during lockdown.
After a verbal exchange that lasted about 10 minutes, the constables then forcefully entered the shop, removed three crates of beer and a jerrycan of crude waragi which they packed onto a motorcycle which they had moved with.
According to Mr Wilber Banturaki the LC I Chairperson of Buyamo village, the police constables were attached to one of the police posts in the nearby Kagamba Sub County.
“The Police officers who came to our town and introduced themselves to Ms Nakagaayi as officers from Kagamba Sub County and all of a sudden started packing Nakagaayi’s beer on their motorcycle. They did not give us time to ask them questions but instead did everything in a rush,” he said.
Mr Banturaki said that what baffled them was how the said officers came during midday, from a different Sub County and started making accusations against someone who was at her home.
“Ms Nakagaayi stays in a room where she also has a small retail shop. There’s no way she could close because the Presidential guidelines were very clear on opening retail shops. However, since they were armed, no one would tamper with them,” he said.
Mr Banturaki says they were rescued by the Officer in Charge of Ddwaniro Police post who arrived quickly at the scene after getting a phone call from one of the residents.
Residents in different areas of Rakai District have on several occasions raised concern over the increased cases of extortion by the recently recruited SPCs who “arrest and intimidate them with a mission of getting money out of them.”
Mr Henry Kalekyezi a resident of Buyamo said he was on Monday arrested in Kagamba and told to pay Shs 50,000 before being released.
Mr Gordon Tumuhimbise who is also a resident in the area said the police constables have on many occasions beaten people in guise of implementing Presidential directives to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“They beat us as they remind us that the government has not paid them their March allowances so, we should not be surprised when we get severe beatings,” he said.
Mr Simon Mukerere the acting Rakai District Police Commander confirmed the incident and said the matter was being handled and everything would to be sorted.
“What those officers did was not good and the problem was that they had a senior SPC who did not know the right boundaries of Kagamba Sub County. We condemn the act but we are handling the situation”, he said.
He, however, acknowledged the issue of the SPCs payments stating that the matter is being handled.
“There are around four districts that have not yet received the March allowances but our bosses are handling everything and soon they will be paid. We however urge residents to report all cases of extortion so that we deal with the officers accordingly,” he said.
