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Shs3m bribery cited in escape of 17 suspects from Jinja police cells
Jinja Central Police Station where suspects are said to have escaped on Sunday morning. PHOTO | PHILIP WAFULA
What you need to know:
- Most of the suspects had been arrested on Saturday night from Mafubira, Walukuba and Bugembe among other Jinja City suburbs, and booked at the Station for felons, including home invasions, being a menace and physically assaulting their victims, especially women.
The deputy Jinja Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Mr Peter Banya, has cited Shs3m bribery in the escape of 17 suspects from Jinja Central Police Station (CPS) cells on Sunday morning.
Most of the suspects had been arrested on Saturday night from Mafubira, Walukuba and Bugembe among other Jinja City suburbs, and booked at the Station for felons, including home invasions, being a menace and physically assaulting their victims, especially women.
Mr Banya said prior to the escape, he received information that Shs3m had been paid to the police officers on duty to allow some suspects to escape but before he could complete his investigations, he received news that they had escaped.
“That (Shs3m bribery claim) is the rumour one of the policemen brought forward, but it is still under investigation. The escapees are 17 but the rumour of Shs3m hasn’t yet been proven. It is a rumour among the policemen themselves,” Mr Banya said.
Asked if any of the escapees have been rearrested, Mr Banya said none but the District Police Commander (DPC) is working leads which we hope will bear fruit by the end of the week.
The Kiira Region Police Spokesperson, James Mubi, didn’t pick our calls or reply to messages sent to his known telephone number.
The escape
Eyewitness accounts, however, suggest that some of the suspects fled through the front door of the Station on Main Street and through the back (Gabula Road), where Police fire trucks lay on standby.
Stephen Maganda, a Boda Boda rider, who operates around the Police Station, said the incident happened at around 8:30am. “First, I saw a suspect cleaning around the station, then after a few minutes, two came out running to their freedom,” he said.
He added: “The second suspect took a huge stumble on the steps of the station, before getting up and running after his colleague had been long gone. Immediately after, the entrance to the station was slammed shut.”
Maganda said he later heard from a woman, who said she witnessed two other suspects fleeing through Gabula Road, and that one of the suspects was being referred to as ‘Senior’.
Another Boda Boda, also operating on a Stage across the Police Station, but declined to be named for fear of being sought by Police for more information, said he saw two suspects fleeing through the front door of the Station at around 8am.
When this reporter visited the Police Station, one of the policemen who had reportedly been taken into custody, only identified as Okello, was being marched out the cell barefoot to make a phone call.
The Police Spokesman, Fred Enanga, earlier referred this reporter to Mr Mubi, who didn’t pick up our calls, but had reportedly told multiple news outlets in Jinja City that he was in Luweero, an account that was later corroborated.
But a uniformed officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said suspects had escaped although their exact number is only known to his seniors.
According to him, the suspects escaped as the cell guard was closing the compartment after letting in one of the suspects.
He said: “The cell guard is among those in custody although his hand is bruised due to the force that was inflicted on him as the suspects fled.”
