Another Luweero police officer held over messed up operation

A second police officer has been arrested as heads continue to roll over a messed up operation in which a team of police officers who were on an arresting mission, instead killed their own colleague and an innocent 17-year-old boy

The  December  29  afternoon incident  which has caused a rift between  the police and the community, took place at  Mulungiomu  village near  Luweero town where 8 policemen  had gone to search a  home  of a resident after  being tipped that he had an illegal gun.

Luweero RDC  who also heads the District security committee , Alice  Muwanguzi  said that the police officers who were supposed to search the suspect's  home  instead went on a shooting  spree at the home of  the suspect, killing a 17-year-old son of the suspect called Sebastian Kabareebe  and one of the arresting officers called  Cpl.Ronald Odong.

Some of the stray bullets are said to have caused damage to a privately owned car.

Muwanguzi said  only one police officer, called Joseph Odoka had initially been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting , but  later on the police arrested a second officer called PC Lukwago on the recommendation of a team of ballistic experts who visited the scene.

Muwanguzi said the District Security Committee which she heads had  condemned the police operation and asked the police to explain in writing.

"We condemn the operation in the strongest terms possible. The whole  operation was messed up. The killings were un-called for," said the RDC who said her office had met the burial expenses of the slain boy.

According to the findings of the District security committee, the  District police commander was out of the District during the operation which was commanded by a junior CID officer acting on a tip off by a  witchdoctor.

The village LC1 Chairman, Amir Namuyimba said the policemen only rang  to inform him after the situation had gone out of hand .