Arua fracas: Police court reduces ranks of officers for neglect of duty

NALWADDA NSANGI 

The police disciplinary court has sentenced five out of the six officers on the count of neglect of duty contrary section 44 subsection 1 code 19A of Police Act have been found guilty and sentenced to reduction of a rank.

They are the former regional CID officer Mugweri Edward, Junena Robert Akia of the FFU, Musinguzi Jonathan, the former Regional Police Commander and Ssennyonjo Abbas, the former District Police Commander.

Reading the sentence, the chairman of the court, SCP Denis Odongpiny said: "Abbas and Jonathan, you are both recommended to reduction in rank, from superintendent of police to Assistant superintendent of Police."

The regional police spokesperson Josephine Angucia said Detective Senior superintendent of Police Mugweri Edward was reduced to Superintendent of Police.

Regional CID officer Herbert Wanyoto, was subjected to severe reprimand while Arua OC Traffic Officer Onen Francis, was acquitted of all charges.

The officers were advised to excise their right of appeal to the Police council appellant court within 14 days in case they, and the prosecutor, are not satisfied.

The court sentences came after collecting all the necessary evidence that the suspects failed to adequately deploy the available manpower of over 500 police officers and machineries that were at their disposal to secure the route of the president .

They thus put the life of the person of the president in danger by forcing the SFC to leave their cardinal role which all tantamount to neglect of duty.

The witnesses said that the officers failed to make correct judgement and they took it for granted that the president had all along been coming to the district and nothing had happened to him even though there were early signs that there could be violence.

The witnesses also said that there was a lapse in the operation, poor intelligence and lack of proper information flow during the incidence.

During the hearing, all the officers asked for lenient sentences on grounds that they are first time offenders and being key witnesses in the treason case against the 34 people in Gulu magistrates court but the prosecution led by Ibanda Stephen established that endangering the life of the President is unacceptable.