Police in East Kyoga region are currently on the spot for allegedly beating and torturing civilians for alleged breach of the Presidential Guidelines on the prevention of COVID-19.
President Museveni during his June 18th 2021 address enforced strict guidelines as he ordered for the 42 days lockdown. Among the key interventions that the President had put in place included a night curfew from 1900hrs to 0500hrs and burn on inter-district travels.
The President also while announcing the measures noted that all those found violating the guidelines must be charged instead of arresting them and putting on police cells and torture.
In a recent video that was recorded by the CCTV cameras of Burning Bush Mini Supermarket in Nakatunya Ward, Soroti City West in Soroti City, a group of five police officers were recorded torturing the owner of the supermarket.
The officers were caught at the said premises beating the proprietor at exactly 08:57PM on the 4th of July 2021 while on patrol implementing Public Health (Control of COVID -19) Rules, 2021.
The five officers also threatened to beat up his wife, according to the footage.
Meanwhile, Several Police officers in the region have also been blamed for soliciting bribes from members of the public in order to access other districts without movement permits from relevant authorities.
Police Speaks Out
According to the East Kyoga Police Spokesperson Ageca Oscar Gregory, the territorial police of East Kyoga has forthwith suspended the officers involved in gross professional misconduct and they shall face disciplinary action as enshrined in the Police disciplinary code of code as under the Police Act.
He noted that the professional standards unit has started investigations on the matter.
He added that, “The police would like inform and state clearly that we dislike all acts of professional misconduct especially as regards violation of Human Rights such as meting out of corporal punishment in the carrying out of duties which is against the Uganda Police Human Rights Policy 2019 and the errant officers shall face the law as provided by the laws of Uganda.”
