Police have warned the public that a number of the widely spread threatening leaflets are alert and only intended to cause fear and panic.
Following the murders in Masaka in which 26 people were killed in one month, cases of threatening leaflets being thrown have increased in various parts of the country.
The infamous leaflets that unknown assailants have thrown in different parts of the country including Mukono, Wakiso, Mityana and Kampala threatening to attack residents have caused fear and panic among members of the public.
However, addressing journalists on Saturday, Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said investigations have found out that a number of the leaflets are intended to cause panic and fear among the public whereas others are masterminded by people who want to settle their own grievances.
“We ask the public to treat some of those threatening letters with caution .Many of them are dropped by people who want to settle their scores over land wrangles, village misunderstandings and other personal grievances aimed at instilling fear and panic among the public,”Enanga said.
The police spokesperson cited leaflets dropped in Masindi town, Seeta in Mukono, Mitooma, Kamuli and Bushenyi as some of those that threatened to have a number of people killed but they never came to pass.
According to Police, Ugandans should not lose sleep over some of the leaflets, which he said are fake.
“There is no information to show the validity of these letters and whether the threats are to happen. Our joint security investigations are trying to see if the leaflets are a closely coordinated campaign, political campaign or some people want to cause fear and panic over their own personal grudges. Ugandans should not stop going on with their business but be united and report to security in case the leaflets are dropped,” he said.
Don’t touch them
The Police spokesperson however warned members of the public again touching the threatening letters but rather report to the nearest police station.
“In case of any anonymous letters dropped, don’t touch or tamper with them. Don’t allow anyone around the scene but report to police,”Enanga said.
He said by touching or tampering with the leaflets, crucial evidence leading to the arrest of the perpetuators would be lost.
“When left intact, the threatening leaflets can give our security teams clues in form of DNA, fingerprints, handwriting but also make it easy for our canine department to use dongs to trace for the suspects behind the letters.”
Enanga says a joint security investigation into the anonymous letters will continue, in a bid to arrest and prosecute whoever is behind them.
The development comes on the backdrop of similar letters in the areas of greater Masaka region where over 26 people have been killed by machete wielding assailants who attack homes at night.
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