Police accused of negligence and abetting the escape
At least six suspects escaped from Obongi Police Station on Monday after overpowering a police officer who had opened the cell to allow them to bathe, authorities have confirmed.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Ignatius Dragudu, the North West Nile Region Police spokesperson, said preliminary investigations revealed the suspects - mainly youths - exploited manpower shortages to make their escape.
"They pushed the officer, forcing him to step aside. The officer fired bullets into the air, but all suspects fled the scene," SP Dragudu said.
The escaped suspects, primarily from neighbouring Yumbe District, were detained on charges of malicious damage to property, housebreaking, and theft.
Dragudu noted that a manhunt is underway to ensure their re-arrest and to deter similar incidents in the future.
However, Obongi Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka blamed the police for aiding the escape that took place at 4pm.
"I have lost confidence in the police, especially the CID department. This is the third time suspects have escaped from lawful custody in three months," Hashaka lamented.
According to Hashaka, a total of 20 suspects have escaped from Obongi Police Station within the last three months, and over 200 police files have mysteriously gone missing.
"As I speak, the CID officer has declared me and my deputy as suspects for impounding 200 bags of charcoal in line with a presidential directive. The police later released the charcoal without any charges," Hashaka added, describing the escape as an "inside job."
He warned that without intervention from top police leadership, escapes would persist, posing security risks to the community.
When contacted, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Isiko Balisanyuka, the Officer in Charge of the CID at Obongi Police Station, denied the allegations.
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"Talk to the police PRO. How can my office aid the escape of suspects? And how does the charcoal issue relate to this matter?" ASP Isiko questioned.
The escape has intensified scrutiny on the police's handling of cases in Obongi District, with several residents accusing officers of corruption and connivance with suspects capable of paying bribes.
