Three police officers arrested for guarding illegal concert in Munyonyo

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Police has arrested three of their very own for allegedly guarding an illegal music concert that took place on Saturday night at the Ddungu Resort, Munyonyo in Kampala.

According to SP Patrick Onyango, the spokesperson Kampala Metropolitan Police,  the police officers who have been arrested include;   L/AIP Fabiano Juma, PC John Bosco Ocaba and PC Paul Odongo.

Onyango told Uganda Radio Netowrk – URN that the concert organisers connived with the area police officers including the three officers to provide security for the event.

He adds that the arrested officers and three others still at large are also being investigated for disobeying lawful orders.

Onyango notes that the ministry of health issued guidelines following the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and some people continue to disregard them. Among the guidelines put in place was the suspension of concerts attended by revellers in order to stop the spread of the deadly virus.

Onyango says these these guidelines still stand, adding that the police force condemns “the acts of some selfish individuals, who are bent on violating the directives on COVID-19 with the purpose of making money while risking the lives of many Ugandans.”

The police officers were arrested alongside six civilians who organised or attended the concert. Onyango says the suspects include a Nigerian artiste Stanley Omah Didia alias Omah Lay, artiste Temilade Openyi alias Tems,  Muyiwa Awomiyi (Temilade’s manager). The others are; Benjamin Kabura, Ivan Ddungu, the manager of the place where the concert was held, and Prim Kasana, the event manager, who contracted Omah to perform at the concert.

The nine suspects  are currently detained at Later Police Station for holding a concert in violation of ministry of health guidelines and thereby  “doing acts that are likely to cause the spread of infectious disease, which is Corona virus.”

Before police made any arrests on Sunday evening, Justine Kasule Lumumba, the Secretary General National Resistance Movement-NRM and other members of the general public castigated the police for not doing enough to stop the concert from taking place.

The heated debate was sparked off by images and videos of revellers and the musicians having fun at the concert, something that angered entertainers and people who say security officers are enforcing the  COVID-19 measures selectively.

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URN