Police officer held over shooting student

CRIME

KAKUMIRO- The Police in Kakumiro are holding their own officer on allegations of shooting dead a secondary school student and wounding other people in a scuffle to quell an irate mob who wanted to lynch a suspected motorcycle thief.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson identified the suspect as Frank Magezi 32, no 6634 a special police constable attached to Kakumiro Police Station.

He said: "We are seriously investigating the circumstances under which a special police constable attached to Kakumiro Police Station shot and killed a secondary school student of St. Edwards SSS, Bukumi.

"The suspect is detained at Kakumiro Police Station as investigations into the matter continue. As police we cannot condone such an unlawful act, if found guilty, he will be presented in the courts of law to answer charges of murder'', he said.

Hakiza said Magezi shot dead Peter Simon Kasumbi, a former student of  St. Edwards SSS in  Bukumi during the scuffle when an angry mob was about to lynch the suspected motorcycle thief in Kakumiro town council on Saturday.

The deceased was in S.5 studying BCM/ICT at St. Edwards'Bukumi SSS in Kakumiro district.

"It is a regrettable incident for a police officer to shot an innocent student. He was shot two bullets in the neck and head killing him instantly, the incident happened when two police officers tried to quell a mob.

The mob wanted to lynch a suspected thief which unlawfully compelled them to rapidly fire live bullets at people'', he said.

He further notes that two other people were wounded in the scuffle and are nursing wounds at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital. The suspect allegedly wounded his colleague Tadeo Ssebuleme.

Najib Waiswa, the Kakumiro District Police Commander who was compelled to take forced leave over the incident apologised on behalf of Police saying his officers acted unlawfully by shooting at innocent people which led to the death of a student.

Najib explained that the incident occurred at around 7:30 pm on Saturday when he deployed two police officers to quell an irate mob who wanted to lynch a suspected motorcycle thief in Kakumiro town council.

The Albertine Regional Police Commander,  Deo Obura and a team of police officers together with Kakumiro district leaders visited the bereaved family.

During the meeting, residents demanded RPC Obura to transfer Kakumiro District Police Commander, Najib Waiswa over poor performance and neglect of duty.

Several mourners protested with placards calling for the DPC's transfer.

The Kakumiro district LC5 Chairperson, Joseph Sentayi demanded that Uganda Police Force administration compensates the deceased's family and also foots the burial expenses.

Kadiri Kirungi the Hoima District LC5 condemned the act by the police officer and called for action against the perpetrators of human rights violations.

''Police officers and other public servants are supposed to live exemplary lives. It is unfortunate that the officer who was sent to protect the lives of people is the same person who terminated the life of a young boy'', he said.

In response, the Regional Police commander, Obura condemned the act and said police's administration will handle the matters of compensating the deceased's family.

There was tension as family and friends of the deceased mobilised to attack Kakumiro Police Station which is about 80 meters from the spot where the student was gunned down. UPDF soldiers and Local Defense Unit forces were deployed to avert any eventualities of chaos.

Apollo Mugume, the Resident District Commissioner Kakumiro, condemned the act and advised police officers to always abide by their professional code of conduct while executing their duty.

"The suspected police officer should act as an example to the rest who take the law into their hands. He should have used other means and tactics as a trained officer to quell the mob'', he said.

He also cautioned people against taking the law into their hands by physically punishing wrongdoers adding that their actions led to the death of an innocent student.