In a startling development, eight police officers serving in Kira-Police Division, located in Kira municipality, Wakiso district, have been apprehended on suspicion of stealing Shs 60 million in exhibit cash.
According to Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, the incident unfolded after Shatrah Namata, an employee of a hardware shop in Lungujja, reported that out of Shs 192 million stolen from her, only approximately Shs 160 million made it to the police station.
The dramatic sequence of events took place when three suspects, travelling in a Toyota Noah with registration number UBN 360N, were intercepted at the Naalya roundabout by a police patrol. The intercept was aided by boda-boda riders who had been trailing the suspects.
In the ensuing confrontation, two suspects were apprehended, while a third suspect attempting to flee was shot and injured before being subdued. Subsequently, a bag containing cash was recovered and taken into police custody as evidence.
Enanga revealed that discrepancies arose in the reported amount of money received by the police, with the initial figure of Shs 160 million allegedly diminishing by Shs 30 million during the process of counting and recording the exhibit. Surveillance footage indicated that some officers mishandled the cash upon its arrival at the police station, leading to suspicions of foul play.
“This incident underscores a recurring problem within law enforcement, as similar cases of exhibit mishandling have been reported in the past,” Enanga commented, referencing a prior incident in 2022 where five police officers attached to Katwe Police Division were arrested for tampering with evidence by setting fire to an office.
The investigation into the alleged theft of exhibit cash by the Kira-Police Division officers is ongoing, with authorities determined to ensure accountability and uphold the integrity of law enforcement practices.
