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Why Ochola dissolved police Flying Squad Unit
What you need to know:
- Kamwenge mayor Godfrey Byamukama, whom police secretly wheeled to Nakasero hospital with septic torture wounds, became the face of torture at Nalufenya.
- Flying Squad operatives, however, were credited for hunting suspected kidnappers, car thieves, and armed robbers. This year alone, FSU rescued 10 children and kidnapped adults.
Kampala. A decision to disband police’s Flying Squad Unit (FSU) was taken by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Martins Okoth-Ochola, due to mounting allegations of gross misconduct and torture of suspects by its operatives, Daily Monitor has learnt.
The decision, according to highly-placed sources, was taken without consultation with the powerful 24-member police Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) which previously discussed, and endorsed, the reversion of the dreaded Nalufenya from a holding cell for high-profile suspects to an ordinary police station.
Assistant inspector generals of police, who directly head police directorates, sit to constitute PAC that is responsible for, among other things, determining and reviewing weekly operations, transfers and financial management.
Proposal rejected
One source, familiar with the changes, said Mr Ochola, while deputy IGP, had proposed that police disband the Flying Squad but the then IGP, Gen Kale Kayihura, ignored the suggestion.
Another senior officer told this newspaper that yesterday’s disbandment underlines the new IGP’s resolve to realign many things within police he disapproved of for years, but had no power to alter.
Other big-ticket changes - at least in name - that Mr Ochola has announced since taking charge of the Force in March, include disbanding ad hoc units that Gen Kayihura established to directly report to him, return of power to line commanders, recall of senior officers sidelined under the previous administration and realignment of police command structure.
Besides converting Nalufenya from a detention facility associated with torture of suspects to an ordinary police station, the police chief has revived kit inspection policy to test individual police officer’s preparedness, smartness and weapons handling.
He has also integrated police fleet under single management and renewed 999 toll-free help line for reporting emergencies to police; and, ordered a forensic audit to ascertain actual police manpower and armament.
In yesterday’s changes, the IGP recalled FSU commander Herbert Muhangi from CID directorate to general duties department and transferred him to Human Resource directorate to head police manpower audit.
The Special Investigations Division, now revived under the command of Elly Womanya, will coordinate anti-violent crimes operations but SSP Mark Odong will directly head Organised Crimes desk.
Old wine in new bottle?
Police-run violent crack crime units have had a history of grotesque human rights abuses in the country
In the 1990s, the Anti-Robbery Unit (ARU) was established but its operatives became so brutal that the Justice Julia Sebutinde-led commission of inquiry into the Force ordered that it be reformed.
It was collapsed into the Mobile Police Patrol Unit (MPPU), but a new surge in gun crimes prompted President Museveni to create Operation Wembley, a para-military outfit the commanded by Col Elly Kayanja, to tackle violent crimes.
Rights groups accused Operation Wembley operatives of extra-judicial killings, torture and extortion.
When Gen Kayihura took over as police chief in November 2005, he disbanded Operation Wembley and established Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU) headquartered in Kireka, outside Kampala.
Again, rights groups complained and VCCU was transformed into the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) whose last operations commander, Mr Joel Aguma, is jointly facing trial in the military court. It was not long before gross rights breaches under RRU forced Gen Kayihura to disband it.
Another unit collapses
At least 36 of its officers were from 2005 to 2010 variously charged with criminal offences, including causing grievous bodily harm to suspects and robbery, according to police report. Fourteen others were tried in the police disciplinary court.
The former RRU operatives were sent to Criminal Investigations Division (CID) and Special Investigations Division (CID) where they were redeployed.
In 2013, FSU was established and former RRU operatives were recalled, retrained and redeployed.
Last year, suspects in the murder of police spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, said they had been tortured by Flying Squad while in Nalufenya cells.
Kamwenge mayor Godfrey Byamukama, whom police secretly wheeled to Nakasero hospital with septic torture wounds, became the face of torture at Nalufenya.
Flying Squad operatives, however, were credited for hunting suspected kidnappers, car thieves, and armed robbers. This year alone, FSU rescued 10 children and kidnapped adults.
FSU troubles
Flying Squad was formed to fight violent crimes such as robberies and kidnaps. Hundreds of its officers would later get ensnared in gross misconduct, risking their professions and sullying the image of police.
By February, the Police Professional Standards Unit was investigating 213 cases against FSU personnel lodged by both civilians and police officers, including torture, robbery and extortion. Handling of the cases will continue since each was lodged against individual officers, police said.
Former IGP Kayihura established FSU Unit in 2013 following a spate of violent crimes. Most of its operatives are informers and Special Police Constables; low-rank officers, who joined police on temporary contracts.
