Why demoted police officer still hold ranks

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A number of senior police officers have been convicted and demoted by Police Disciplinary Court on grounds of abusing office, committing service offenses or misconduct.

Nevertheless, all the officers demoted in the last three years or more have remained with their ranks creating suspicion that the Police Court Tribunal chaired by Senior Commissioner of Police, Dennis Odongpiny, is perhaps for formality purposes.

In February, police court demoted four Superintendents of Police –SPs to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police –ASP following the Arua Municipality by-election fracas in August last year. The officers were charged for neglecting their duties when they failed to control the crowds that allegedly even stoned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s motorcade.

The officers include Robert Junena Okia, former West Nile regional Field Force Unit- FFU commander, Jonathan Musinguzi, former West Nile Regional Police Commander –RPC, Abbas Senyondo, former Arua District Police Commander- DPC and Edward Mugweri, former West Nile Region Crime Intelligence Officer.

To date, the officers still retain the ranks even though Police Appellate Court chaired by Assistant Inspector General of Police –AIGP Asan Kasingye, upheld their conviction mid this year.

Asked to explain whether Police Courts just hoodwink the public or merely intended to calm storm raised by victims of misconduct, AIGP Kasingye, insists that they actually bite when it comes to handling officers’ indiscipline.

In addition to explaining how police courts are established, Kasingye says police courts do not replace normal courts of law. This, means, if a member of the police has committed a case that this is criminal in nature, he cannot be charged in police court because they do not have the jurisdiction.

On why demoted officers still retain the ranks, Kasingye attributes the delays in demoting officers to Police Authority chaired by Internal Affairs minister that has the powers to downgrade gazetted officers.

Gazetted officers in this case includes all those in the senior category from Assistant Superintendent of Police –ASP to AIGP. Police Authority includes among other members Internal Affairs minister, Gen Jeje Odongo, State Internal Affairs minister, Mario Obiga Kania, Inspector General of Police- John Martins Okoth Ochola, former IGP John Cossy Odomel and Police Legal Director-AIGP Erasmus Twaruhukwa.

AIGP Kasingye explains that the Police Authority often sits to discuss other matters and he is optimistic that when time comes to discuss demotion of officers, a special sitting will be convened.

Police explain that for officer ranking from the ranks of Constable to Inspector of Police-IP, their demotion, reprimand and dismissals are often handled by Police Council whose overall overseer is the IGP.

Other senior officers who were convicted and demoted but still hold their ranks include Senior Superintendent of Police –SSP Andrew Kaggwa, former Kampala South RPC who was demoted to SP, SP Moses Nanoka, former Wandegeya DPC and now in Rukungiri who was demoted to ASP and ASP Patrick Muhumuza, who was KMP South FFU commander and was reduced to IP.

Kaggwa, Muhumuza, Nanoka and a number of their juniors were charged by former IGP Gen Edward Kalekyeezi Kayihura for clobbering supporters of Dr Kizza Besigye.

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