John Susu, the Officer in charge of Awee Police Post in Lamogi Sub County, Amuru district is in trouble for asaking a complainant to pay money to transport suspects from the outpost to Gulu Central Police Station.
Trouble for the officer begun on Thursday when he asked Vicky Alanyo, a complainant to pay 25,000 shillings to facilitate transportation of three suspects from the outpost to Gulu CPS from where they could be produced in court.
Alanyo said she pleaded with the officer that she could not afford the money in vain. Unable to raise the money, she later tipped the RDC who directed the officer to record a statement explaining why he should not be arrested for soliciting money from complainants.
A panick stricken Susu, explained that the police in the district do not have official vehicles and therefore have to rely on contributions from complainants to transport the suspects to court.
Jacinto Ovuru, the Amuru District Police Commander condemned the practice but later confirmed that indeed the district lacks an official police vehicle. He said the only police vehicle that was donated by the Netherlands government is grounded in Lira with no money for repair.
Ovuru explained that usually the police in Amuru district parade the suspects by the roadside from where they beg drivers of passing vehicles to help them transport the suspects. Nonetheless he said they would investigate and take appropriate action against the officer.
Johnson Kilama, the northern Uganda police spokesperson said reports about police officers demanding that complainants pay to transport suspects were common. He added that the police always subject such officers to disciplinary measures depending on the nature of the offence.
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