Security speaks out on torture, night robberies and roadblocks

 COVID-19  |  CURFEW  |   SECURITY

KAMPALA - The joint security taskforce on Friday warned members of the public against some wrong elements who were entering people's homes and compounds and beating them up in the name of enforcing the curfew.

The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Spokesperson Brig Richard Karemire, on Friday, noted that in Kampala Metropolitan Region, it was only the Uganda Police Force, UPDF and the Local Defence Unit (LDU) personnel who are enforcing the curfew.

"There are no other security personnel enforcing the curfew. Not even reservists or GISOs (Gombolola Internal Security Organisation) officers. We have briefed our security officers not to enter people's compounds and homes in the name of enforcing the curfew. The curfew is stopping the movement of people from their homes starting at 7:00 pm up to 6:30 am," he said.

Karemire warned members of the public against attacking security personnel while they are enforcing the curfew, citing cases in Busia and Moroto town where security personnel were pelted with stones.

"This must be stopped, and whoever will be found engaging in such, will be apprehended," Karemire stated.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic poses an existential threat to everyone, and warned members of the public to stay home to be safe.

On Wednesday, Police arrested three suspects in Serere who took advantage of COVID-19 curfew to loot.

According to the fisheries state minister and Serere Woman Member of Parliament, Hellen Adoa, the thugs who were dressed up in full military gear and patrolled Serere masquerading as soldiers and LDUs, looted homes and walked away with millions of shillings.

"One of the suspects identified as Oriada is a soldier and had gotten a study leave from the army. So when he returned, he joined his friends James Eligu and they have been moving around terrorizing people until I was informed. I raided their house and recovered brand new uniforms and also sh3.9m that they had robbed from civilians the previous day.

Adoa appealed to the security leaders to intervene and support Serere district Police which she noted was understaffed and had an old patrol car that could not effectively respond to emergencies. Karemire noted that they would follow up on the matter.

Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga

Addressing the media, Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga also warned members of the public about criminals who were dressed up in masks and pretended to be officials from the Ministry of Health who had been sent to fumigate homes.

He noted that they had received complaints and urged members of the public to be on the lookout of individuals impersonating service providers like Umeme, National Water and Sewerage Corporation to steal.

He noted that police had arrested four suspects in Kamuli who had staged a roadblock claiming to be security agents and yet they were not. He also noted that police was investigating an ethnic audio recording that claimed the COVID-19 should wipe out other tribes in Uganda and leave others, urging members of the public who had information about the recording to call police on, 0702385271, 0714401470 and 0717812495.

Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine also noted that they had received two cases on individuals who attempted to gain access to prison barracks in Mukono and Luzira noting that they were out of bounds.

He also warned individuals who claimed they had prisoners in prison and wanted to visit them to stop calling lower officers and engage the Commissioner General of Prisons directly.

Baine noted that the Prison facilities were out of bounds for external visitors for 30 days.

Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine