Police charge 14 suspects, close factory for noise pollution

Police has said that charged a total of 14 people for allegedly polluting the environment with noise which is contrary to the laws of Uganda.

According to police, the suspects have been charged from the month of April when the deputy inspector general of Police, AIGP Tumusiime Katsigazi ordered the environmental police and all territorial commanders to enforce noise ordinance within their jurisdictions.

“For the month of April, May and June, our environmental protection police managed to carry out different interventions at different levels of noise pollution and they registered a total of 194 concerns of pollution from the public in which 14 were arrested and charged in courts of law,” said Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson.

He identified the charged persons as Francis Matovu and four others from Kelezia zone in Makindye, Cedric Lulegeya from Lugogo bypass, Pastor Joseph Adule from Bombe zone in Bweyogerere and Yasin Abdallah from a construction company in Kazo.

The others were Charles Nsubuga, who was arrested for polluting 3 plots in Victoria View in Wamala zone in Wakiso, William Omwonyi for polluting lower terrace in Kololo and Philip Mechap of Nomads bar in Bunga among others.

They also confiscated music systems from the entities where the suspects were arrested from.

Enanga said that at least 11 improvement notices were issued and they asked the proprietors of such places to tone down and regulate the noise that was comes from their premises.

Noise improvement notices were issued to bars such as salient lounge in Bugolobi, Highly favoured ministries in Nakasero, Yasin Abdallah construction in Kazo, levels lounge in Kitante, Gabs bar in Bugolobi, Thrones among others.

“If these facilities don’t respond to these improvement notices, then we shall be able to take the next action of having them charged to court,” Enanga said

Among the music equipment that were confiscated include those from bars such as Big Boys bar in Makindye, Happy Boys in Busega, Hideout in Lugogo, Katalage ministries in Kabalagala, Nakabugo ministries in Wakiso district.

However, Enanga revealed that Yasin Abdallah construction company in Kazo was shut down because it had exceeded the noise limits in the area.