Following the recent gang raping and gruesome murder of Goretti Nasubunga (19 years) and Faith Komugisha (31 years) both residents of Katabi Town Council in a span of three weeks, the Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura has tipped Police Officers operating in Entebbe Region on how to strengthen security in their respective areas of command in order to curb such criminal incidents from happening again.
Kayihura who addressed Police officers and residents at the Katabi Town Council hall and in Abaita Ababiri on Tuesday, visited the two crime scenes in Kasenyi and Kitinda on Monday where Goretti Nasubunga and Faith Komugisha alias Jamila were found dead and dumped.
In his candid remarks, Kayihura who was accompanied by the Police Spokesperson Asan Kasingye and RPC KMP South Siraj Bakaleke emphasized the community policing model and Neigbourhood watch program “Mayumba Kumi” as an avenue of giving the local residents an opportunity to share information with the security agencies including the Police force. Kayihura directed the Katabi Town Council LC3 Chairman Ronald Kalema to immediately undertake the recruitment of new crime preventers in Abaita Ababiri because the current lot weren’t recruited through the proper procedures and guidelines and worst of all, majority of them have been implicated in crime.
Kayihura categorically stated that crime preventers aren’t above the Police officers adding that it is the duty of the respective OC Stations to supervise and deploy the crime preventers whom he said should mainly concentrate on availing police with information from the respective zones or villages and not sitting at the Police Stations redundant.
“Crime preventers shouldn’t have more powers than the Police officers and it is the duty of OC Stations to deploy and supervise them. They (crime preventers) should concentrate on availing information in their respective areas of deployment because they are the eyes and ears of the Police. Many of them tend to sit at the Police Stations redundant. Police officers should arrest suspects after they have got enough evidence and in the presence of LC1 Chairpersons because reports indicate that so many innocent people are arrested on idle and disorderly charges which results into overcrowding of cells and Police officers demanding for bribes to release the suspects”, Kayihura explained.
Kayihura also tasked other security agencies to work hand in hand with OC Stations to profile and register new residents including Boda Boda operators at their respective stages, suspected criminals, homes known for domestic wrangles and released prisoners.
“OC Stations and other leaders you are required to know the residents who are in jail and their sentences and when they are out of jail, endeavor to monitor their movements and what they do through a watch list. Crime preventers and LC1 Chairpersons should preserve the scenes of crime because on various instances evidence is always tampered with at the scenes of crime which makes the work of tracking down criminals hard”, Kayihura stressed.
Kayihura also appealed to girls and women to always walk in a group and always learn to use alert systems like whistles and screaming in addition to forming whatsapp security groups to share security related information in their respective areas. Kayihura disclosed that Police has opened up an office in Kigo, off Lweza where Police officers will undergo refresher courses and training.
