The police disciplinary court has sentenced two officers attached to Masaka central police station to dismissal from the Police Force after being convicted of abetting corruption and scandalous behavior in relation to a man who set himself on fire.
Hussein Walugembe,22 burnt himself to death at the start of this month after being asked to pay a shs40,000 bribe to police officers in order to have his impounded bike released.
He set himself ablaze inside the traffic police office at Masaka Central Police Station.
Following the incident, two officers as Sgt. Julius Ewalu , the Station Major and Sgt Ibrahim Ssesanga the acting OC Traffic at Masaka Central Police Station were arrested.
On Saturday, the police disciplinary court heard that on several occasions, the deceased went to police to recover his motorcycle but on all occasions, he was asked to return with shs40,000 as a bribe by the traffic police officers.
In his judgment, Assistant Superintendent of Police David Manzi, the disciplinary court chairman said the police officers’ behavior sparked a public outrage but also tainted the image of the force
The court ruled that the two officers’ actions forced the deceased to feel frustrated and betrayed since he stayed in the police barracks.
“Public outrage that followed the incident is an indicator that enough ought to be done by any reasonable police officer to save a life, property and the image of the Uganda Police Force,”Manzi ruled.
Sessanga, the acting OC in charge of Traffic at Masaka Central Police Station was convicted of scandalous behavior whereas his colleague, Elwalu was convicted of soliciting for a bribe.
“Court sentences the two defaulters to dismissal from the Uganda Police Force.”
The development comes barely a week after President Museveni gave shs10 million to the deceased’s family but also promised to buy them land to construct a house.
How Masaka man burnt self to death at police after bike was impounded
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