Gaps gunmen exploited to attack, kill police officers

The deceased were identified as Detective Inspector of Police Alex Wagaluka, the officer-in-charge of investigations at the station, and Police Constable Moses Ongol. The injured are Constable Adrian Ochom and Constable Stephen Odama.  

Mr Richard Bwabye, the Luweero Resident District Commissioner, said the investigations are progressing well.

“No arrests have been made but the security has some clues,” Mr Bwabye said yesterday.

At around 7:30pm, thugs said to be around seven, armed with a pistol and an automatic rifle, raided the police station from different sides and started shooting at their victims. Eyewitnesses said the suspects fled towards Kayunga District.

On the way, the police said the thugs dropped the pistol, which is currently being examined by forensic experts.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr  Martins Okoth-Ochola, condemned the attack and vowed to bring the killers to  justice.

By press time, the police had not established the motive of the attack.

The police spokesman, Mr Fred Enanga, did not comment on the progress of the investigations.

In a security meeting at Luweero District headquarters, the leaders agreed that the police station was vulnerable to attack since it could be accessed from any side by the criminals without any impediments.

The police station is in a rented premise designed for a shop, and it is sandwiched by a money lending business, a butchery and a supermarket.

Some of the police officers were being accommodated in some of the rooms in the backyard. The police station did not meet the minimum standards set by Uganda Police Force management.

Mr Bwabye said they have agreed in the security meeting to shift the police station from the vulnerable location to another place where it can be secured and guarded well.

The police minimum standards require that a police station has at least 20 police officers, three motor vehicles and an armoury at any given time. It must be well fenced and have an entrance that is well guarded.

Majority of the police stations in the country are in the same state. Police rent houses to accommodate their stations.

Mr Musa Ssendikawa, a shop attendant near the police station, said during the attack, he was ordered to close the shop by three men that he thought were members from the security agencies.  

“I quickly closed the shop. Then I heard gunshots before I reached my home, which is 500 metres away from my shop,” Mr Ssendikawa said.

During the commissioning of the ICT command centre at Naguru, Kampala, President Museveni ordered the closure of police posts and stations that were being irregularly established everywhere.  President Museveni said the lowest police unit should be at the sub-county to enable easy management of manpower and resources.

The police management has been slow in implementing his directive due to budget constraints.

Minimum standards

A police station must have a police commander; officer-in-charge of station; officer--in-charge of criminal investigations; officer-in-charge of criminal intelligence; officer- in-charge of traffic; community liaison officer; officer-in-charge of child and family protection; officer-in-charge of MCB; officer-in-charge of fire; and officer-in-charge of canine reception office. A police station should also have separate detention cells for women, men, boys and girls. 

An armoury, exhibit store, boardroom, library, canteen, community hall,  communication/operations room (command centre, a parking yard for staff/clients and accident vehicles and three functional operational vehicles.

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