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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Aswa river region has attributed the crime-free New Year festivities in Acholi sub-region to the tight covid-19 restrictions that barred large gatherings.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa river region police spokesperson says for the first time, the New Year celebrations in Acholi sub-region went on peacefully without crimes like murder, rape, and grave assault among others reported to the police.
Okema also notes that effective operational plans by the police in the region reinforced by community policing aided crime-free celebrations in the region.
He however says at least 100 people were arrested in Gulu city for violating curfew time imposed to limit night movements. According to Okema, the suspects will be prosecuted after investigations.
In a related development, a 42-year-old man identified as Joseph Otto was on Thursday was found dead in his home in Alanyo East village, Orina parish in Laperebong sub-county, Agago district.
The deceased according to police reports committed suicide by hanging on New Year’s Eve in his house on unclear grounds.
Okema says the incident could be the first reported suicide case in the region where at least 80 people took their own lives last year alone.
Since March last year, the Ministry of Health initiated tight restrictions on large public gatherings and banned operations of bars, discotheques, music concerts and introduced night curfew to limit night movements.
The police also banned the display of fireworks across the country to usher in the new year on grounds that it will attract crowds likely to aid the spread of covid-19. Uganda is currently registering a surge in covid-19 cases with cumulative cases hitting 35,511 and 265 deaths registered since March last year according to Health Ministry statistics.
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