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71 arrested as police, army raid Lugazi bars, lodges
Some of the suspects allegedly found in bars and lodges in Lugazi municipality pictured boarding a police truck after their arrest on July 13, 2021. PHOTOS/ DENIS EDEMA
What you need to know:
- The operation comes days after police raided a renowned strip club at Busega, a suburb of Kampala, which has been operating since the lockdown was imposed nearly three weeks ago and arrested 120 revellers.
Police in Lugazi municipality in Buikwe District have arrested 71 people who were allegedly found drinking in bars and lodges, in breach of a presidential directive issued in March last year banning bars from operating in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Most of the bars from where the suspects were picked have not been operating for long spells of the year, fueling speculation that the suspects were feasting on money they received from the Office of Prime Minister to support vulnerable families.
The government recently committed to give each vulnerable person Shs100,000 to go through the 42-day lockdown that was announced by President Museveni to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The beneficiaries include Boda Boda riders, taxi drivers and touts, luggage pushers, teachers and support staff that aren’t on the government payroll among others.
Acting on a tipoff from local authorities, Police and the UPDF on Tuesday raided the bars and lodges at around 8:30pm.
Ms Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Region Police Spokesperson, said they received information from local leaders that there were people drinking in some bars and lodges.
“We picked some from bars while others were picked from lodges drinking and during the operation, some of the suspects turned violent and stoned two police officers who sustained injuries and are receiving treatment in Kawolo Hospital,” Ms Butoto said.
Among the suspects are 10 women, including an owner of a bar, suspected sex workers and a man who was allegedly found with a machete along the road, whose case, police said will be handled separate from others [suspects].
The suspects, according to Ms Butoto, will be charged with doing an act likely to spread an infectious disease, according to the Ministry of Health guidelines, adding that police will continue with the operations throughout the region which will extend to day time.
The development comes just days after police raided a renowned strip club at Busega, a suburb of Kampala, which has been operating since the lockdown was imposed nearly three weeks ago and arrested 120 revellers.
Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy spokesman of Kampala Metropolitan Police, on Monday said: “The managers of New Best Hotel and their clients decided to contravene the Ministry of Health directives to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Some of the suspects were having sex with people whose identity they didn’t know. We suspect they were sex workers and clients.”
New Best Hotel has for long been organising stripping events. Revellers would pay at least Shs20,000 for a show.
