The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A joint security team on Wednesday night arrested 32 football fans watching an English Premier League match against Arsenal and Liverpool.
Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson said the fans were arrested for violating Presidential & Ministry of Health guidelines such as social distancing and curfew all intended to curtail the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Police said the fans now turned suspects were squeezed in a small room in Katanga in Wandegeya policing division. “They have been charged with disobedience of lawful orders and doing acts likely to spread infectious disease which is COVID-19,” says SP Onyango.
Police said the suspects whose files are being prepared so that they can appear in court are currently detained at Wandegeya police station. The English Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool started at 10:15 pm and ended after midnight.
More than 4000 people have been arrested by security agencies comprised of police, Local Defence Units –LDUs and UPDF soldiers. The suspects were charged, remanded or convicted for two to three months for defying COVID-19 orders.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in June ordered for the release of more than 4000 detainees. Museveni said he had pardoned them but it is reported that only a half of the detainees have been released since the order to set them free was given.
Uganda was in total lockdown between May and June. The lockdown has partially been lifted even though more than 40 border districts are still under total lockdown. In addition, shopping arcades, plazas, non-food market vendors, boda-boda riders, schools and churches are yet to resume full operation.
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