Kabalagala police boss arrested

By Vision reporter

The Kabalagala Divisional Police Commander, Francis Chemusto and his criminal investigations department (CID) counterpart, Deo Kikomeko were arrested over the ongoing probe into a drug traffickers’ network.

The arrests were made on the orders of police boss Gen. Kale Kayihura.

The two policemen, held at the police Special Investigations Unit (SIU) headquarters, were arrested on Monday evening following intelligence reports.

By press time it was not clear on what the holding charge is.

Speaking at a meeting with owners of Private Security Organisations (PSOs) in the city on Tuesday, Kayihura pointed out that there is a ring of drug dealers in the city operating in the suburbs of Kabalagala, Muyenga, Bunga, Gaba, Buziga and Munyonyo courtesy of police protection.

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DPC Chemusto (M) talking to a private security guard at a bar in Kabalagala. PHOTO/Eddie Ssejjoba

“The police who are supposed to fight them are now protecting them,” said the police chief, without divulging details though.

“Most of these barons are west Africans and Pakistanis,” Kayihura said, adding that some PSOs could also be offering such barons protection unknowingly.

Deputy Kampala police boss Farouk Mwirima Tuesday said a group of detectives attached to SIU were at the Kabalagala Police investigating on certain issues.

“The SIU wanted to clarify on certain things,” he said.

In a related incident, three policemen were arrested and are under investigations over torture claims.

The trio allegedly tortured a former employee of Mukwano Group of Companies Ltd who asked to see the boss over compensation for losing two of his fingers at work and consequently losing his job.