Driver arrested after knocking traffic officer  

The driver, who attempted to run over a traffic police officer in a video that has gone viral, has been arrested.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said Isaac Mukwaya, driving a Subaru Forester, knocked a police officer on Monday at Kitgum Junction on Jinja Road before he drove off.

“Mukwaya violated the traffic lights and he was stopped. When the officer removed the front licence plate on the car, the driver decided to knock our officer before driving off. He was later arrested and he is now facing two traffic offences of violating traffic lights and reckless driving. He is also facing attempted murder of our officer,” Mr Onyango said yesterday.

In a viral video, the police officer is seen being shoved by the Subaru car but is able to escape the incident with minor injuries. The motorist then drives off in the video.

Mr Onyango said the suspect, who had a cannula on his arm and carrying a baby, later reported at CPS Kampala and claimed that his wife and child are sick in the hospital.

“Unaware of his offences, the suspect drove the same car to CPS Kampala, but the traffic supervisor, who attended to him, advised him to take the child to the hospital first and return later to handle the traffic offences. He even allowed him to drive the same car. The traffic supervisor gave him his mobile phone number to call him in case he is stopped by police on the road for driving without a licence plate,” Mr Onyango said.

After an hour, Mr Onyango said, the suspect returned alone at CPS Kampala and insisted that the police officers give him his licence plate. Mr Onyango said it was during the processing of the Express Penalty Scheme ticket that the video of the knocking of a police officer started circulating.

“The officers discovered that the suspect before them was the one who knocked their colleague. The suspect was immediately arrested. He is still detained as investigations continue,” he said.  

Growing trend

Cases of motorists knocking traffic police officers while executing their task are on the rise in the country. Late last year, at least five police officers were knocked dead by errant motorists.