Woman arrested over offering Shs1m bribe to policeman

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga. PHOTO/FILE

What you need to know:

  • Condemning Ms Asiimwe’s deliberate attempt to derail justice, police vowed intolerance to anyone intending to “tarnish the badge of its frontline officers” through corruption.
  • Police, an institution quite usually castigated by President Museveni for corruption, has echoed commitment to wipe out any acts that fall short of transparency within the forces. 

Police in Kampala have arrested a woman over secretly attempting to bribe a city policeman with Shs1million for a man in custody to evade investigations.

On Monday, police accused Ms Olivia Asiimwe of offering a bribe to detective constable Stanley Ibanda to forego investigations and possible prosecution of her detained brother who was allegedly among a notorious gang in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.  

“Instead of secretly taking the bribe, the investigating officer decided to turn to his supervisor ASP Omar Karim, an action that led to the arrest of the suspect,” police spokesperson, CP Fred Enanga explained.

Recently ranked by a Fourth National Integrity Survey Report as the most corrupt institution in the country, police on March 21 applauded the two officers for the “outstanding representation” of the forces.

“Asiimwe’s arrest therefore, demonstrates our commitment and resolve to fight and stamp out corrupt tendencies in police,” Inspector General of Police (IGP), Martins Okoth Ochola, said in a brief statement issued by police.

Police accounts show that Ms Asiimwe’s brother was, together with some other two suspected criminals netted on March 11 after the trio reportedly stabbed a 'chapatti maker’ identified as Musa Muganga and robbed him of Shs60,000 .

“Ivan Akanyijuka had been arrested with his accomplices, Barnabas Kavuma and Ivan Kato for robbery.  They are one of the criminal gangs behind the mugging and robbery of pedestrians,” police informed.

Police say the three were mid-March 2022 charged with aggravated robbery at Mwanga II Court and remanded.

Condemning Ms Asiimwe’s deliberate attempt to derail justice, police vowed not to tolerate anyone intending to “tarnish the badge of its frontline officers” through corruption.

“We continue to warn the public that there are consequences in trying to bribe a police officer.  It is an offence that is punishable by law,” CP Enanga emphasized.

“Ms Asiimwe is pending court,” police noted.

144th rank

Slightly below the global average of 43 points, Uganda’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) scored 27/100 in 2020 and 2021 respectively, according to Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.

Only third after South Sudan and Burundi in the East African bloc, Uganda’s CPI score is 144th worst amongst the world’s worst performing.