Traffic officer faces dismissal for breaking law

Mar 15, 2014

He was meant to enforce traffic regulation but instead flouted them. He now faces stern action.

By Cecilia Okoth

He was meant to enforce traffic regulation but instead flouted them. He now faces stern action. 

The photograph (above) of Tanganya Mubarak, a traffic police officer attached to Mbale Police Station, appeared in the New Vision print edition on Wednesday this week. He was snapped riding a Police motorcycle without a helmet and talking on a mobile phone.

What he was doing was in direct contravention of traffic regulations, and now he faces disciplinary action and criminal charges.          

Speaking to New Vision online, Patrick Onyango, the Deputy Police spokesperson said Mubarak was charged with three offenses – discreditable conduct, riding a motorcycle without a helmet and riding while talking on phone.   

“For every act of indiscipline that an [police] officer commits, he or she must face the police disciplinary court,” said Onyango.

The other two offenses Mubarak committed will be handled in the criminal court as they are criminal offenses, he added.

The regional traffic officer of Mbale is compiling a file that will be forwarded to the Resident State Attorney (RSA) for perusal and advice and Mubarak will be interdicted when he appears in court.          

“He will be out of duty until he is cleared and could face dismissal from the force if proven guilty,” said Onyango.

Ibin Ssenkumbi, the Kampala Police spokesperson, in a separate interview to shed light on traffic offences, saying that discipline of the force extends to utilization of logistics which includes helmets.

“We do not encourage officers to be indisciplined,” he said, adding: “Because he neglected himself and did not use logistics, he shall face the law.”

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