Ten suspects escape from custody at Bukwo Police station

Kapchorwa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Security has launched a manhunt for ten suspects following their escape from custody at Bukwo Police Station. The suspects, who were locked up for various offenses including murder and rape broke out of their cells on Sunday night.

Five police officers in Bukwo are meanwhile in trouble for alleged neglect of duty and absenteeism in connection to the escape of ten suspects from custody. The suspects were arrested on Monday on the orders of the Sipi Regional Police Commander, Barahukwa Mbabazi.

According to Mbabazi, the suspects face charges of negligence of duty and absenteeism in connection to the escape of suspects from lawful custody. The ten suspects were arrested for various crimes with others spending a full month in the cells for unclear reasons.

“This is terrible, I have learned that some of the suspects had stayed for one month in cells this is unacceptable,” he said.

Samuel Hashaka Mpimbaza, the Bukwo Resident District Commissioner, says the escape of the suspects has exposed the police weakness in the district.

Moses Mangat, a resident of Bukwo town council has called for the transfer of top police officers from the district.

He claims that the crime rate in the district was shooting up simply because the police are weak.

URN has learned that three of the suspects are Ugandan nationals who live in Kenya and were picked up for murdering two Boda-boda riders. The trio had spent a month in the cells without appearing in court.

The suspects have since been identified as Fred Andreya, a suspect of aggravated defilement, Jese Kirwa, a suspect of murder, Sande Obed, a suspect of theft and house break-in and, Joshua Mutai, a suspect of rape and Kadafi Musungo, a suspect of theft.

Mbabazi explains that they have dispatched their intelligence team to hunt for the escapees. Betty Chemutai, a resident of Kamkamba ward in Bukwo town council, says police need to conduct thorough investigations surrounding the escape of the suspects, saying there could be foul play.

According to Chemutai, there is no evidence of breaking in at the police cells. Joel Mutai, another resident, says that police have been messing up cases in the district, adding that something could have exchanged hands.

“Honestly why keep suspects who have been charged with murder for one month in cells without taking them to court if it’s not really corruption?” he asked. Samuel Hashaka Mpimbaza, the Bukwo Resident District Commissioner, says that many files of capital offenses have been getting lost at the police station for unclear reasons. “Something is fishy from our police in Bukwo and thorough investigations are needed,” he said.

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