Police informant arrested for 'stealing watch'

KAMPALA - Yahaya Kafumbe, a crime preventer coordinator for Salaama parish in Makindye division was this week arrested over alleged beating and stealing of someone's watch.

This was during a rectification campaign meeting at Makindye police between police and local leaders.

The meeting was chaired by the head of the campaign team, assistant Inspector General Police, Yiga Fred.

Kafumbe who had also attended to front his queries, was instead confronted by one of the youth, who accused him of beating him and stealing his watch, pointing at the watch Kafumbe had on his wrist.

The accusations came in shortly after many LC1 leaders and councilors had raised concern over the misconduct of crime preventers in the area.

However, this annoyed Yiga and immediately ordered for Kafumbe's arrest and detention by the Katwe Division Police Commander, Mission Samuel.

Assistant Inspector General Police, Yiga Fred. (Credit: Wilfred Sanya)

The meeting was attended by LCI chairpersons from 222 villages, councilors and mayors from Makindye West and Sabagabo, and Rubaga South.

It was aimed at finding out the reasons why there is fractured relationship between police and the public.

Earlier, Kafumbe had briefly complained of having been arrested by the station's officer in charge of criminal investigations and his motorcycle seized. But Yiga tasked him to explain why he had been arrested having been a leader of law enforcers in his area.

Kafumbe claimed he had only directed some people to the Community Liaison Officer Jackson Bogere as they had asked, but ended up being a victim of circumstance.

"I took them to office and at office, these people gave him money. He received it and took note of their details. Later I took them together with their money to the OC CID's office," he explained.

‘He is wearing it now'

Kafumbe said the OC CID arrested them for bribing a police officer and that he too was arrested.

"I was later released after an explanation. But they took my motorcycle which I was using for my work."

As he took his seat during the meeting, the youth chairman from Nkele zone in Makindye, Bashir Kaweesi took to the microphone and accused Kafumbe and a group of police officers with other plain-clothed youths for allegedly beating him and stealing his phone.

"They came and arrested a butcher and tried to take his money which was in a bag. I intervened as a leader but they instead pounced on me, beat me up and even took my watch. He is even wearing it now," he told the meeting .

Kaweesi was reportedly detained for three days and made to pay sh150,000 to be released when he went to report his case at Katwe Police.

In the wake of the revelation, Yiga vowed to use Kafumbe to get all those people and policemen he works with.

"You should not release him until I say so. This is what we want to fight and remove such characters from our force. They are tarnishing the force's image and we shall not tolerate such."

During the meeting many leaders accused police and crime preventers of abetting crime.

Rosemary Senyondo, a councilor, said some police officers and crime preventers work with criminals. "That is why we even fear to report them because they report us to the same people thus putting our lives at risk."

Another attendant who declined to reveal his names, described police as a rotten force that needed overhaul. "Some of these crime preventers and policemen work with criminals to fail LCI leaders," he said.

Ali Kasirye, the mayor of Makindye, attributed the high crime rate to lack of functional LCs.