The deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Geoffrey Tumusiime Katsigazi, has said their preliminary investigations indicate that last week’s grotesque raid on Busiika Police Post in Luweero District was carried out by a rebel outfit called Coalition for Change.
Maj Gen Katsigazi made the revelation while addressing journalists at his office on Friday evening.
“The problem of attacking police posts and taking guns is a deliberate effort by a group of people who seem to think that they can change the government by force. So it’s no longer the same criminals who come and attack with machetes and rob. This is mainly to kill and take guns,” he said.
Quoting police intelligence, Maj Gen Katsigazi revealed that raids on police posts have been going on for the last six months.
He, however, couldn’t explain whether all the previous attacks on police posts were masterminded by the Coalition for Change.
In the Busiika incident, which occurred around 7:30pm on Monday, the thugs killed Inspector of Police Moses Wagaluka, the OC CID, and police constable Alex Ongolo while Stephen Andama, another police constable, survived with bullet injuries and was reportedly taken to Bombo Military Hospital.
Asked about the motive of the rebels, Maj Gen Katsigazi said it is being financed by unknown people.
He revealed that police had arrested the leader of the group and that the suspect was taken before the Court Martial but he didn’t offer details on the charges which the suspect is facing.
“They [thugs] come in bigger numbers. For instance in Busiika, they were seven armed with two AK-47 rifles and a pistol, according to our preliminary investigations. Busiika Police Post had 10 police officers attached to it but only six officers were present on that fateful day,” he said.
However, he said their investigations revealed that there was laxity of police officers and commotion at the police post. He said the place is so busy and tucked between shops and bars hence it was hard for the officers to detect bad elements.
Asked what police have done to curb the vice of raiding police posts, MajGen Katsigazi said they have been carrying out operations where several suspects have been arrested.
He added that the operations led to the recovery of at least six guns which had been stolen by thugs from various police posts.
“The trend is growing … these ones are attacking both private security and police posts with an intention of taking guns. I would like to assure the public that we are dealing with it head-on to ensure that we contain those attacks,” he said.
On why police are merging police posts, Maj Gen Katsigazi said the move is intended to protect officers from future attacks by criminals.
“…we need a minimum of 20 police officers per police post because if five officers are absent, then 15 can be able to defend themselves.”