By Francis Otucu

The Territorial Police in East Kyoga has arrested two of its officers on allegations of gross misconduct and excessive use of force that caused physical harm during the control and dispersal of illegal protestors in Soroti Municipality on Tuesday.

The officers have been identified as ASP Gerald Sibomana and PC Denis Mutengu and have been charged with assault, torture and irregular conduct.

According to Police spokesman, Fred Enanga, the pair’s arrests “clearly demonstrates our resolve to robustly address all forms of criminal behavior and abuse of authority, to purposely uphold high standards of our policing.”

All our officers are reminded of their duty to uphold the law and display high levels of professionalism in the course of their duties.

On Tuesday, a procession of 4 motor vehicles came driving along the main street of Soroti included a Toyota Hilux, red in colour registration number UAX 815R, with loud speakers; an Ipsum, white in colour, reg.no. UAN627S; Land Cruiser V8, white, reg.no. UBF 042E and Land Cruiser, White, reg. no. UBD 486Y.

They drove towards Serere road; and parked in the middle of the road, adjacent to the public gardens. 

The FDC Party President, Amuriat Patrick Oboi, started addressing people who had gathered alongside the road using a public address system.

It is then that the officers  tried to “engage them, they locked the car doors and switched off the car engines.”

They eventually drove off towards the new market, where they again parked their vehicles blocking the road, and disrupting other road users. 

This prompted the deployment of a Fire Fighting truck, to tow away the vehicles that had blocked the road.  It is at this stage that, the driver of M/v reg.no. UAN 637S, blocked the Fire Fighting truck from the rear and prevented it from reversing to tow the motor vehicle which was carrying the FDC Party President.

As a result, the police started effecting arrests but one of the occupants in the Toyota Ipsum, identified as Abdul Okeng, turned violent and confronted PC Denis Mutenga.  He was however, subdued and led to the patrol car, but managed to escape. The hunt for him is on.

The other two vehicles were driven to Soroti CPS and the drivers issued with EPS tickets.  In addition, M/V reg.no. UAX 815R, which was carrying loudspeakers was upon inspection, found to be in a dangerous mechanical condition by the IOV.  It was deregistered and the owner charged with using a Public Address System without the required permission, under section 40 of the Police Act.

The other suspects who included; Amuriat, Eigu Daniel and Okwir Justine Kokas, were charged with participating in a procession without notifying police, as required under section 5 of the POMA. Aisu Joseph Akol was charged with malicious damage to property under Sec.335 of the PCA, after he knocked and damaged the police sign post.

“It is surprising that the FDC as a Party opted to hold an illegal procession, yet we have facilitated and protected their rights to free speech and assembly.  We continue to encourage peaceful gatherings of the public, where good planning is envisaged,” Enanga said.