Uganda Police has come out and informed the public that adultery is not a criminal offence that should be reported to police.
This was revealed Monday during a joint security briefing held at Naguru, Kampala.
“We want to inform the public that we keep getting cases of adultery being reported to police as criminal cases. We want to come out clearly to inform the public that adultery is not a criminal offence reportable to police,” said Police spokesperson CP Fred Enanga.
Enanga told the press that Police has been compelled to put this clearly following a last week incident where a local TV presenter was caught in a shameful act of adultery “which is purely a civil matter” and was criminalized by a complaint in conspiracy with a police officer identified as IP Julius Ogwang of Kira Road police station.
According to the police spokesperson, the complainant and police officer proceeded to get the two lovers red handed and arrested them and even interrogated them on camera in a manner he said violated their privacy.
The police reminded its officers that such acts are not criminal hence those who will be found doing the contrary will be acting unprofessionally “which the force cannot tolerate.”
Enanga cautioned the married people to respect their marriages by not shaming their partners and said that adultery can be used as ground for civil procedure if one has evidence which can help in divorce or separations among others.
He, however, said that the only situation where police can engage in a civil matter like adultery is where there is threat to life and damage to property.
“Married persons can report to police if for instance someone takes and stays with another man’s wife in a lodge for a long time. One can report a case of disappearance to police but so far all incidents registered don’t warrant to be reported,” he said.
