Police officers accused of using drugs
Jan 14, 2012
Some Police officers have been accused of smoking marijuana and gambling.
Some Police officers in Kitgum district have been accused of smoking marijuana and gambling.
Local council leaders in the town council area alleged that the officers, who are supposed to enforce law and order, were instead the ones abetting the abuse of drugs and promoting gambling.
Boniface Okot, the LC1 chairman West village in Westland, suburb in the town in Northern Uganda renowned for crime, alleged that the police officers smoke marijuana together with the suspects.
“I want to tell you without fear that some Police officers smoke jai (marijuana) and they are the ones encouraging the jai smokers and the card players because they also participate in it or are given kitu kidoko (Kiswahili slang for bribe) not to arrest them,” Okot said.
He was speaking at a town council security committee meeting held at the town council hall on Tuesday. It was chaired by the town LC3 chairman, Richard Okwera Ojara while the district police commander (DPC) Nasur Oringa also attended.
The DPC admitted he was aware of one policeman who smokes marijuana but said he was still trailing him in order to adduce enough evidence before arresting the policeman and eventually prosecute him.
He advised the LCs to arrest police officers they normally find engaging in the act and hand them over to him for disciplinary action. But Ojara questioned whether it was proper for the civilian LCs to arrest armed police officers. Some of the LCs however argued they could.
East ward B LC1 chairman, Alfred Omara had earlier said the rate of smoking marijuana in the town had gone down though some notable hardcore criminals still indulge in the practice.
Oringa said police would intensify its on-going operation to stop the vice but one LC chief said only top police officials should be notified of any impending operation if their suspected juniors were to be also nabbed.