Police investigate commanders for swindling allowances for special constables
The Police Professional Standards Unit(PSU) has kicked off investigations into circumstances under which some of its senior commanders swindled money meant for allowances and other emoluments for Special Police Constables.
The Police Force last year announced they would recruit a total of 50,000 Special Police Constables to help increase the number of police officers to be deployed before, during and after 2021 general elections in various parts of the country.
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These were supposed to be paid an allowance of shs375,000 per month starting December 2020.
However, the Nile Post has learnt that a number of the SPCs have gone months without receiving their emoluments whereas some of them have got half of what they were supposed to get.
The scheme to swindle their emoluments according to sources has been masterminded by some of their commanders including Regional Police Commanders and DPCs who deduct the money for the SPCs and make them sign for the full amounts.
However, in a message to all RPCs and DPCs but also copied to the Inspector General of Police and his deputy, the PSU commander, Sarah Kibwika has informed them of the ongoing investigations into the scheme.
“It has come to the attention of PSU that some unit commanders including RPCs and DPCs have not paid full amounts to SPCs and have gone ahead to make them sign for less money. This vice is not only demeaning, embarrassing and shameful but also tarnishes the image of the force,”Kibwika said in the message dated March 5, 2021.
According to the PSU commander, investigations have commenced and those implicated with face the wrath of the law.
“Commanders implicated in this scam shall be dealt with and repercussions will be regrettable,”Kibwika said.
Incidents of commanders swindling emoluments and other allowances for their juniors are common in the police force.
Many of the juniors sign for less money in form of allowances contrary to what they are supposed to get for operations and in most cases; they don’t report their commanders for fear of reprimand.
Last year, over 1000 complaints were received by the police from junior officers accusing their seniors of swindling their allowances meant for services rendered during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.
