Albertine region police officers probed for cattle theft

Livestock theft across the Bunyoro sub-region has been rampant

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Some senior police officers in the Albertine region are being investigated for alleged cattle theft. They are accused of conniving with cattle thieves to steal cattle from farmers.

URN has established that the officers whose particulars have been concealed for fear of jeopardizing investigations are being investigated by senior Uganda Peoples Defense Forces-UPDF officials who have pitched camp in the region for the last two weeks.

One of the UPDF officers told Uganda Radio Network on condition of anonymity that they have so far apprehended more than 30 high profile cattle thieves who have been conniving with police officers in stealing cattle. He says all the suspects arrested are being locked up at Masindi and Hoima central police station.

The source further revealed that UPDF officers were deployed after several farmers complained against police officers for allegedly failing to arrest and produce them in court, some of the cattle thieves who are known to them. But Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson declined to comment on the matter saying he can not comment on an operation being conducted by UPDF.

Another senior police officer in the region who spoke to URN on condition of anonymity says he is aware of the operation being conducted against cattle theft in the region, but could also not divulge details.

Livestock theft across the Bunyoro sub-region has been rampant for years. Some farm workers have also been implicated in the thefts. They connive with livestock thieves by providing information about the farm to the criminals who later invade the kraals during the night.

The stolen animals are always transported to Masaka, Kampala, Arua, Kitgum, Gulu, Apac, Mukono, Jinja, Wakiso, Pakwach, Lira and Mubende among other areas in the Country. Statistics at the Albertine region Police Headquarters indicate that over 100 cows were stolen in the region between November 2020 and February 2021.

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URN