Police have said they are piloting in 21 districts around the country a set of new guidelines aimed at streamlining the issuance of bond to suspects.
According to spokesperson Fred Enanga, Police together with the Justice, Law and Order Sector(JLOS) have come up with a set of amended guidelines in a form of a receipt book that will be followed before a suspect is granted bond by any police station or post around the country.
The book is also known as Police form 18.
“The Justice, Law and Order Sector working with the directorate of Research, Planning and Development of the Uganda police held a consultative and innovative review process on the issuance of police bond and came up with new features to help address concerns,”Enanga said on Monday.
“The new form has three carbonated papers where the original is given to the suspect, the duplicate remains on the file and the triplicate remains in the book. It has an inserted watermark stating police bond is free.”
Enanga said that the new book will also have contacts for the Police Professional Standards Unit to report cases of extortion whereas there is also provision of space for name and the rank of the officer who signs on the bond.
He said there is no longer any space provided for including the amount to be forfeited in the event the suspect faults on the bond terms but also provision for documenting the reporting schedule of suspects.
“Also included is a clause to remind a person benefitting from the bond and his or her sureties the liability in the vent they default on the conditions.”
The police mouthpiece said the book had been developed due to several concerns of misuse and extortion before granting bond to suspects.
“We strongly believe the new form will empower citizens to resist extortionist demands in light of bond but will also help management fast-track a specific police bond issued to a police and district since each bond has a specific serial number.
“The serial number will also help us track the station, district or police post which has issued the bond.”
He notes it will help in ascertaining the type of crimes which are prevalent in a certain area, the number of suspects arrested, those taken to court, guide management in determining funds for feeding suspects and eliminate issuing of bonds by unauthorized persons among others.
