The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Criminal Investigation commanders are meeting in Kampala to deliberate on issues around crime investigations, scene-of-crime management and preparations for the 2021 General Elections.
The five-day meeting, opened by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Martin Okoth Ochola has attracted CID commanders from specialized units, regions, districts, divisions and station commanders.
Criminal Investigations Director (CID) Grace Akullo said that emphasis will be put on crime scene management, scrutinizing and implementing court orders, and managing emerging crime trends.
The discussion comes amid concern on the rate at which cases are dismissed by the courts, allegedly due to lack of substantive evidence. Police crime reports for the years; 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 show that the police have registered 25,000 case dismissals, translating into an average of 6,550 dismissals per year.
During the meeting, IGP Ochola tasked investigators to always be open and truthful, store exhibits safely and desist from accepting or demanding for rewards during investigations.
Ochola also warned police officers against torturing suspects arguing them to exercise professionalism during their work. Reports by the Uganda Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda have consistently put police on top of human rights violations in the country.
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