PSU investigates 7 senior Police officers in west nile for misconduct

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Professional Standards Unit-PSU in West Nile Region is investigating seven unnamed senior police officers for misconduct.

The charges involve loss of exhibits, detention of suspects beyond the mandatory 48 hours, negligence/non-performance of duties, absence from work, extortion and corruption related behaviors especially in relation to the administration of police form 3 among others.

Two of the cases involve officers from Moyo district accused of indulging in irregular/discreditable conduct and extortion, three cases from Arua involve extortion, irregular conduct and neglect of work.

The other cases are from Koboko and Pakwach district where the officers are accused of discreditable conduct and irregular conduct respectively.

Evans Vuata, the head of the Professional Standards Unit-PSU in Greater West Nile region told URN in an interview on Friday that the seven officers are part of 37 others his offices has handled since January this year,

Without disclosing the names of the officers, Vuata, attributed the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the implicated officers to the cooperation from the public, which promptly reported their grievances to the PSU,

He appeals to the police officers against operating outside their professional code of conduct and the public to keep monitoring police officers who smoke opium, get involved in gambling and alcoholism among others.

Since its establishment in West Nile region five years ago, the PSU has instilled discipline among police officers including helping the Police Disciplinary Committee to try and charge five regional officers for neglect of duty following August 13th, 2018 Arua Municipality by-elections, where the President’s vehicle was allegedly stoned by supporters of Kassiano Wadri.

Some sources within the police intimated to URN that because of the prosecution of the top police officers in the region, their juniors have learnt lessons and are now embracing good professional conduct.

******

URN