Residents in villages of Kyebando, Nansana in Wakiso District have been advised to desist from tempting police officers with money because it is not so easy for them to resist the temptations of money.
IP Edison Obukulem, the OC Kyebando Police Post made this call during a village council meeting for residents of Nsumbi LC I, Kyebando Parish in Nansana Municipality on Sunday held at St. Peters Primary School.
Obukulem said, corruption in the police force has been fuelled by the practice by locals who initiate acts of bribery since the power of money is irresistible. He accused locals in the area for willingly bribing police officers yet they know that bribery is a criminal offense.
“you are the ones who give money to police officers asking for quick execution of your cases, and turn around to accuse them of being corrupt! What do you want them to do? Reject money?” Mukulem queried.
He was responding to concerns by locals as to why every time they seek for assistance from police, they are asked to pay money yet they expect police services to be free. Locals said police officers ask for “airtime” to follow up on cases, and money to facilitate transport of police officers to effect arrest of suspects.
“How many of you can reject money? And you expect me to reject money? I cannot reject money if you give it to me” He said.
Village council meetings are observed every first Sunday of the month by residents of Nsumbi LC I as a platform for interaction between residents and their local leaders on matters that affect locals including security, hygiene and development in the area.
Mr. Edison advised locals to be more vigilant especially with their own security citing rising cases of kidnap and murder that are not new to residents of Nansana especially women. He warned women against walking alone late in the night something that makes them easy targets for criminals.
He however noted that he is not facilitated to enforce night patrols as a measure to boost security in the area because LDU deployment has not been possible since authorities in Kyebando Parish have no facilities to accommodate an LDU detach.
Edison said, the only option he has is to improvise by soliciting LDU personnel from neighboring authorities, which has affected his capacity to enforce security in all villages under his jurisdiction including Kyebando, Nsumbi, Kamu-Kamu, and Kaburengwa.
In laws relating to corruption in Uganda, bribery is defined as the act of offering, giving (active bribery), receiving, soliciting or accepting (passive bribery) something of value with the purpose of influencing the action of an official in the performance of his or her public or legal duties. Bribery is a criminal offence in Uganda.
The 2012 and 2013 Transparency International reports ranked Uganda Police as one of the most corrupt institutions in Uganda and East Africa, while the UBOS National Service Delivery Survey of 2016, showed 75% of the respondents reported that Police was the most corrupt public institution.