Police Court dismisses two officers for attempted murder

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Police Court has dismissed two police officers on separate incidents of attempted murder.

Detective Constable Moses Wabwire deployed at Kaliro Police Station has been dismissed from the force for hacking his colleague Constable Tyson Kutosi, nearly to death for denying him access to the station’s only motorcycle.

“Wabwire also picked up his gun and sporadically shot at everyone he saw at the station. Luckily, no police officer was injured by Wabwire’s random bullets. It is clear that he was determined to kill,” Kaliro detectives indicate in the statement used to dismiss the accused.

The second Police officer is Constable Ambrose Katumwene from Kashozi Police Station in Sheema District who fired three bullets inside the rented house of a barmaid identified as Caroline Nakyanzi.

“This police officer picked up his gun and went to the home of Nakyanzi and ordered her to open the house. When she refused, Katumwene fired three bullets into the door. It was a clear murder motive,” police professional standards investigations revealed.

Constables Wabwire and Katumwene were arrested by teams deployed by their respective District Police Commanders and the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) decided to prosecute them in the force’s court. Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga explained that the dismissal was done so that they could face a full trial of attempted murder offences in criminal courts as civilians.

“Their dismissals from the police force means they can face full trial in criminal courts as civilians. We want to warn all police officers not to use their weapons to settle disagreements with their colleagues or civilians,” Enanga said.

Last week, Assistant Inspector of Police David Ekwang was dismissed from the force and later prosecuted in criminal court for shooting his wife Corporal Jennifer Atino to death. The couple was deployed at the Counter-Terrorism Directorate and we’re residing at Jinja Road police station. Their woes emanated from child neglect accusations.

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