By David Omoding
BUDAKA
Police in Budaka district are investigating two of their senior officers in connection with theft of property worth millions of shillings at Budaka Electoral commission offices.
The officers who were arrested on Saturday 5th June 2021 have been identified as No-57364 PC Emoru Vincent, and No.44813 Sergeant David Kuloba attached to Budaka CPS.
RDC Budaka Tom Chesol confirmed the incident while police authorities have remained tight- lipped adding that the arrested officers are currently detained at CPS Budaka.
According to Chesol, the two were deployed last Friday to guard the premises, but circumstances under which the offices were broken and property robbed remains a mystery. He added that the two have been arrested as prime suspects as investigations continue.
‘’I received investigating officers from PSU Kampala and now we are jointly investigating the two officers basing on three aspects of negligence, connivance or participation in the stealing, after they will be charged,’’ Chesol said.
He said the officers have been subjected to thorough investigations and if they are found that they participated in the act they will be made to pay back the property, charged and dismissed from the force.
He revealed that their internal assessment has indicated that some police officers abscond from their duty and others are suspected to be conniving with hard core criminals.
Sources privy to the information but preferred to remain anonymous considering the sensitivity of the matter, say the officers deployed only report and append signatures on the arrival book and return to the barracks to sleep and then come early in the morning at about 5am to sign-out and write the report that the ‘situation was calm’.
Ms. Norah Lunyolo the district returning officer further confirmed the incident saying the attackers made off with two solar batteries and 1 kettle and other valuable documents.
Lunyolo says though her office was not broken, she doesn’t know the motive of the attackers in a highly guarded entity.
She said for now with fluctuating power the offices will be engulfed with darkness till they procure the solar batteries.
This comes at a time when cases of burglary are on the rise in Budaka town council and its surroundings.
Impeccable Sources intimated to this reporter that manpower shortage has dogged the station causing officers to work for long hours with stress and without leave including those who need bed rest.
Attempts to get a comment from the SP Alfred Bagambaki, the RPC Bukedi North, yielded no fruits by press time.
