The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 137 police recruits have been ejected from the Police Training School –PTS at Kabalye in Masindi District, two weeks after they were recruited.
A fortnight ago, 4500 Probation Police Constables –PPCs and 500 Learner Assistant Inspector of Police –LAIPs started their 12 months intensive training after a two month’s nationwide recruitment exercise.
However, a reliable source at Police headquarters told Uganda Radio Network –URN on condition of anonymity that 120 PPCs and 17 LAIPs have been ejected on grounds of falsifications their age and academic documents. Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga could neither deny nor confirm the development, saying he was waiting for a detailed update from the commandant of the Police Training School, Assistant Commissioner of Police –ACP, Abubaker Ziwedde.
He replaced Commissioner of Police –CP Michael Mugabi who had been appointed by former Inspector General of Police –IGP Edward Kayihura. He was dropped by the incumbent IGP, Martin Okoth Ochola in August last year after finding several irregularities at PTS.
Sources at police headquarters at Naguru, says some of PPC recruits paid over Shillings 300,000 to get their names on the list of successful candidates. However, during their interaction with the verification teams at PTS, they gave information contradicting what is on their recruitment files.
“Some PPCs said they were 25 years old. However, the same people said they were born in 1992, 1990 and 1989. By simple math, a person born in 1990 must be beyond 25 years. Records in files were different from their verbal answers,” a source said. According to the recruitment guidelines, applicants for PPCs were expected to present a Uganda Certificate of Education –UCE, a National Identity Card, recommendations from Local Councils I, II, III and Resident District Commissioner –RDCs. In addition, age for PPCs was elevated from 22 as announced in earlier adverts to 25 after 48 percent of the first applicants were beyond the required aged.
The age of those applying for LAIPs was also increased to 28 up from 25 because most of the 500 applicants were also beyond the required age. Apart from age, LAIPs needed to have a Diploma in science or related courses plus recommendations as listed for PPCs.
“Others could hardly mention any places or key things in their alleged villages. Verification team at PTS wondered how a person who is for instance a resident of Kawempe, could not mention where Kawempe hospital is, does not know where Kawempe police station is, does not know his village chairman or any member of the village committee” source said.
Source said IGP Ochola ordered for fresh verification to avoid last intake queries that prompted the Inspectorate of Government –IG to probe more than 700 Cadets and 1000 PPCs after training for one year.
*****
URN
