Juveniles terrorizing Pallisa hospital quarters arrested

Three lads suspected to be serial burglars in Pallisa were on Thursday arrested by the community with help of crime preventers in Pallisa hospital quarters.

Mathias Turyasingura, the district police commander applauded the locals for being law abiding as they did not expose the boys to torture but instead handed them over to police.

The juveniles were taken to Jacob Ilukor, the in-charge at Pallisa hospital police post.

Turyasingura said this reflected the level of community policing they are doing though people shun their meeting because of lack of allowances.

He said another lad, believed to be part of the group, had been electrocuted to death by Kibuku district internal auditor Stephen Mwiraguzi for breaking into his poultry unit.

 "Parents have ran away from their responsibility of bringing up their children in an acceptable manner because they don't even mind taking them to school and leave them to loiter in town," said Turyasingura.

Dr. David Okoth, the hospital superintendent of Pallisa general hospital, said despite the presence of the police post within the hospital, his staff continue to complain of theft during daytime as they are on duty.

Okoth said the names of health workers are displayed on the duty rosters across all wards and the outpatient department which offers thieves knowledge who is where at what time.

"With the information they get from the duty rosters they go to break into quarters after knowing the nurse is in the ward and taken up by her duty which puts the property at a risk as most of the houses have poor locking devices and need renovation."

Meanwhile, John Michael Okwakinga, the senior probation officer of Pallisa district, said his office needs a remand home for juveniles because mixing them up with adults in police cells before taking them to Namakwekwe remand home gives them opportunity to be hardened.

"The ministry of internal affairs needs to address the matter urgently because 30% of the high crime rate registered in Pallisa is by juveniles ."