Relatives of fallen officer accuse police of neglecting their own
By Stephen Ojacor
Relatives of the murdered police officer Gideon Abau Emuria, have expressed their displeasure to the leadership of the Uganda Police Force for allegedly abandoning the responsibility to bury their fallen colleague.
Emuria was murdered on November 30 by unknown assailants while heading for duty at the home of the Gulu High Court judge, Justice Alex Ajiji MacKaye at senior quarters ward in Soroti City West Division.
The acting East Kyoga police spokesperson, Oscar Greggory Ageca, confirmed the incident revealing that the assailants fled the scene with the deceased's gun.
Police later rushed the scene and picked the body and took it to the mortuary for postmortem.
However, during the burial of Emuria on December 3, one of the relatives, Omoding Elasu revealed to the mourners that Uganda Police Force did not contribute any penny in burial expenses.
"If it was not because of Justice Alex Ajiji Mackey’s intervention, the postmortem, and the body preservation which was later conducted at Bethesda private hospital could have not been conducted," Omoding said.
Justice Ajiji also bought the coffin, food items, and catered for other burial expenses.
In another shocking revelation, David Engebi, another relative, alleged that police had charged the bereaved family Shs 100,000 to transport the body using the police patrol car.
However, individual police officers present at the burial made their humble contributions.
While speaking to the mourners, the East Kyoga Regional CLO Otelu Eyatu who represented the Regional Police Commander SSP Rusoke Kituma, said that the police are well aware of the death of their colleague and equally feel pinched.
“We as individuals who have been working together with the late have come with our humble contribution of Shs 2,400,000 but police headquarters is also preparing their package to be delivered to the family as it has always been when any police officer dies," Eyatu said.
He assured the family that the official support from Uganda police will be delivered to them in a shortest period and there is no cause of alarm.
“The reason why it could not be released immediately is because it has to go through some processes," Eyatu said.
Oscar Greggory Ageca the East Kyoga regional Police spokesperson dismissed the allegations of neglect.
He pointed out that police have the department in charge of welfare, production and sports to handle such matters and it has always been the practice that in case any police officer dies while on duty, his or her family shall receive the death gratuity.
He urged the bereaved family to be patient and follow the processes.
