Two Police officers arrested over illegal post-mortem exams

Jan 04, 2010

Two Police officers alleged to have carried out an illegal post-mortem examination in Kyanaisoke sub-county, Kibaale district, have been arrested.

By Ismael Kasooha

Two Police officers alleged to have carried out an illegal post-mortem examination in Kyanaisoke sub-county, Kibaale district, have been arrested.

The two are alleged to have opened a casket and examined Paul Bisibire’s body before the mourners in Mugalike village.

They were acting on reports that the man could have died of poisoning.

Francis Tumuhaise, the officer in charge of Kyenzige Police post, was arrested on Thursday on the orders of the district Police commander of Kibaale, John Ojokuna Elatu.

He was arrested together with his criminal investigations officer, Deo Kusemererwa, on the grounds that they participated in examining the body of Bisibire.

Ojokuna said the arrest followed complaints from the public that the two officers were conducting a post-mortem examination yet they are not trained medical officers.

On behalf of the Police, Ojokuna regretted the incident.

“I have to apologise for what they did. That was unbecoming of trained policemen.”

He wondered why the officer did not ask a doctor to carry out the post-mortes examination.

Relatives of the deceased and mourners had a bitter exchange with the Police officers.

They asked what authority the Police had to carry out the examination.

Ojokuna said he has already made transfers of Police officers to take over the operations of Kyenzige Police post as investigations into the case are going on.

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