2,000 suspected criminals arrested by LDU’s in Kampala

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | Local Defence Unit – LDUs personnel have arrested more than 2,000 suspected criminals since their deployment in Kampala, six months ago.

The commander of Land Forces Lt Gen Peter Elweru says the LDU’s were doing a great job to end rampant crime and deal with criminal gangs in Kampala. However, he said that the impact of the arrests might not be felt if the courts continue releasing the suspects back to the communities.

The Local Defence Force unit personnel were deployed on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni following a series of kidnaps, murders and assassinations in urban centres. At least 6,000 personnel were deployed in Kampala where the highest rates of urban crime were recorded.

But despite the deployment, gangs have continued to wreak havoc in the city. According to police records, the city is witnessing an increase in murders, shootings, burglaries, and kidnaps, some of which have ended into loss of life. The Kampala metropolitan area is equally witnessing an increase in criminal gangs.

However, Elweru says that the situation would probably be worse if no measures were taken earlier to deal with the cases of urban crime. Most of the suspected criminals were picked from the areas of Kisenyi, Arua Park, Katwe-Kinyoro, Kawempe-Tula, Nabweru, Kitintale, Mutungo and Kiwatule.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police Maj Gen Sabiiti Muzeeyi said that they have come up with five new measures to deal with rising home raids. The measures announced by Gen Sabiiti include quick and effective response, distribution of telephone lines for nearby police stations, increased supervision, profiling of repeat offenders and engaging the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary on processes that will result into convictions.

The communication comes just two days after President Yoweri Museveni asked the police to present a plan on addressing the violent crimes in Kampala. It is an outcome of a series of engagements between senior police officers and other security agencies.

Gen Sabiiti backed Gen Elwelu on courts releasing criminals saying in 2017 they profiled 79 hardcore criminals who were arrested but have since been released with no convictions.

They were speaking during a joint press conference by the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces-UPDF and Uganda Police Force in Kampala yesterday morning.

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