Contamination of crime scenes is a common issue in Uganda, often caused by curious onlookers who unknowingly disrupt vital evidence as they rush to see what happened.
By the time the police arrive, crucial clues are often destroyed, making it difficult for investigators to piece together what transpired.
This interference can hinder important tools like sniffer dogs, as they struggle to track suspects due to the overwhelming mix of scents at the scene.
In response to this growing concern, Mukono District’s new Division Police Commander (DPC), SP Bernard Mugerwa, has urged local leaders to educate their communities on the importance of preserving crime scenes.
Addressing Local Council I (LCI) chairpersons in Mukono Central Division, SP Mugerwa stressed that maintaining the integrity of crime scenes is key to effective investigations and ensuring justice is served.
This meeting organised by the Division Chairperson Robert Peter Kabanda aimed at building a stronger relationship between the police and local communities to better tackle crime together.
SP Mugerwa, who was recently transferred from Kisoro to Mukono, arrived at a time when the area was dealing with a series of attacks by thugs wielding machetes.
These criminals were ambushing people on their way home at night and breaking into houses.
He explained that one of the key ways to track down these criminals is by using police dogs (K-9), but this method is often rendered useless because people rush to the crime scene and accidentally disturb important evidence.
“We can’t bring in the dog to a scene that has been tampered with. The dog ends up following the wrong person,” Mugerwa said, urging local leaders to protect crime scenes when they arrive to witness incidents.
Detective Joseph Ssekitoleko, the new Officer in Charge of Crime Intelligence at Mukono Division, also advised residents to keep basic security tools at home to help them defend themselves from housebreakers.
“There is a difference between self-defense and intentional criminalities, once a robber breaks into your house, use the panga to fight back and leave the rest to us to investigate,” Ssekitoleko said.
Rhondah Tiitwe Kagaga, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner for Mukono Municipality, noted that the fight against crime requires everyone’s involvement, including residents and local leaders.
She pointed out that criminality can only be tackled effectively if the entire community takes responsibility.
However, she noted that many crimes in Mukono go unreported, as victims often remain silent.
In cases where the police have intervened, local leaders sometimes pressure the release of suspects before investigations are completed.
“Don’t pressure the police to release wrongdoers before proper scrutiny is done. Your leadership reflects the state of your village. Some leaders are known for promoting land disputes and securing bonds for criminals,” Tiitwe remarked.
Mukono district has over 1,000 villages, and the Central Division alone, where the meeting took place, has 41 villages.
Muhammad Wasswa Takwana, the LCI Chairperson of Gulu Ward, stressed the need for the government to increase the security budget to support more patrols and motivate security personnel.
Ann Kayitiro, the Chairperson of Kavule Village, added that the police need to improve their response to emergency calls.
“We invite them late in the night and they start asking weak questions such as ‘Can we still find them, how armed are they? And sometimes we warn them against putting on sirens but they do otherwise and scare away wrongdoers,” Kayitiro says.
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