Kayihura camps in Katabi over murder cases

Jun 28, 2017

"I was shocked to read this in the media and therefore i came to see how the police has been handling these cases."

(Credit: Julius Luwemba)

CRIME


For two days, police chief Gen. Kale Kayihura camped in the areas of Katabi Town Council in Wakiso district over the rising cases of murder in the area.

On Monday, he visited the murder scene of Faith Komugisha, a scrap dealer murdered last week. He later proceeded to the home of Gorrette Nansubuga, the wife of a UPDF soldier murdered in similar fashion two weeks earlier.

The two murders were in the same area. The victims in both gruesome episodes were believed to have been gang-raped first.

During these two visits, Kayihura addressed keen residents on matters of security, where he was critical of crime preventers.

On Tuesday, he first held a meeting with local leaders at Katabi Town Council head offices and later proceeded to Abayita Ababiri town where he met and interacted with residents in regard to security in the area.

"Murder is the major point that has driven me here. I was shocked to read this in the media and therefore I came to see how the police has been handling these cases and surely I've got some information on my own," said the police boss.

In both meetings, the IGP emphasized community policing and neighborhood watch, saying national security mainly relies on people's efforts.

He advised leaders of the area to install street lights mainly in suspected danger spots, as one of the ways of reducing crime.

"Most people are now on social media; they should therefore form a security WhatsApp group to alert themselves," he suggested.

Residents attend a meeting on security in Abayita Ababiri


'Crime promoters'

Meanwhile, some residents raised complaints against police crime preventers, instead terming them "crime promoters".

Kayihura responded by instructing that crime preventers should not be allowed to camp at the police stations anymore. "I have established a training base at Kigo (in Wakiso) for all the crime preventers, OCs and LC Chairpersons where all of them will be taken through an orientation exercise," said the general.

He further instructed the criminal investigation directorate to update complainants about their cases on a weekly basis. He also promised to respond to some issues in writing, which he will send through the area DPC, Godfrey Ninsiima.

Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye, who is a resident of the area, gave a brief background of murder-related crimes in the areas of Entebbe and Katabi, and said police has done commendable work in curbing crime.

On his part, the Regional Police Commander of Kampala South, Siraje Bakaleke said there is an improvement in the way police is handling crimes in his area.

"When I was posted back in this area in April, we had registered 12,896 cases and in May the number had reduced to 10,744 cases," he said.

Bakaleke further instructed all the officers in charge of police posts (OCs) to spend every night patrolling their respective areas as another way of bringing down the crime rate.

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