By Owiny Hope Ochero.
Corruption in a section of government institutions has frustrated the quest for justice in Kotido district.
This follows endless complaints from the members of the communities who go seeking for justice from police but are frustrated by the monitory demands from police and government hospital in Kotido district.
According to reports that have been verified by this publication, suspects pay unspecified amount of money to get released on police bond and have their suspects arrested yet police bond is meant to be free meanwhile victims who have been assaulted and abused sexually pay to be examined at Kotido general hospital.
Hon. Lomoi Lilly Rose, a female councilor in Kotido municipality says that on the 4th February 2023, her two children were arrested and beaten by the police patrol and taken to Kotido central police post but she was asked to pay 20,000UGX for each of her children to get released on police bond yet they were arrested innocently.
She says she is now discouraged to report any matter to police or follow up any matter with police because police can’t help without attaching financial gains into any matter before helping someone.
John Bosco Akore who is the secretary for Kotido elder’s council says he has witnessed corruption of many forms from police adding that Karamoja has become the dumping ground for the police officers who are corrupt.
Click on the link for the location of Kotido Central police station on Google Maps, https://goo.gl/maps/fYnhE3mxkP4GsNMNA
He says that many vulnerable people in the rural places of Kotido are discouraged from reporting cases to police because they have to facilitate police to effect arrest by giving them money for fuel and giving the personnel going for arrest money.
While responding to the allegation, Micheal Lonogle, the Karamoja police spokesperson said they have had challenges of errant police officers who extort money from complainants, tarnishing the image of police but added that such officer should be reported to the police professional standards unit through the district and regional police commanders so that such kind of officers can be dealt with further saying police has a budget that caters for its fuel and the personnel earn salaries for executing their roles.
According to the Fourth National Integrity Survey Report conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) on behalf of the Inspectorate of Government (IG) in 15 sub-regions of Uganda, representing both rural and urban areas for year 2019/2020, The Uganda Police Force (UPF) emerged as the most corrupt institution in Uganda.
Lomoi Lilly rose further added that Kotido general hospital one time disappointed her when she was assaulted and she reported to police but police sent her to the hospital with a form for the medical examination of an injured person to get filled by the medical personnel who required her to pay 20,000 which she didn’t have.
She adds that the person who assaulted her went and payed the 20,000 to hospital and they falsely filled the forms for her in her favor making her win the case.
Anthony Obonyo Jabwor, the Kotido resident state attorney also faulted the Kotido general hospital authorities for asking the injured complainants money saying they have totally frustrated justice administration adding that those who cannot afford can no longer go for such services yet those forms are needed in court as exhibit.
When this reporter contacted Eveline Auma, the clinical officer who is in charge of examining the assaulted victims but disguised as someone who is taking an assaulted victim for medical examination, she asked that the person should go with a sum of 20,000 shillings.
Dr. Cerino Acar, the Kotido district health officer however condemned the act saying that all services at Kotido general hospital are free because it is a government hospital but also added that police have a budget for facilitating the cases they refer to the hospital for examination and postmortem but they do not pay the money to the personnel.
He added that they will follow up on the personnel that ask for payment from patients who need medical examination and take appropriate action.
Click on the link for location of Kotido general Hospital on google maps,https://goo.gl/maps/8AaTes8ezb9qxmt1A
Micheal Longoli, the Karamoja police spokesperson when contacted however said they don’t have any budget for paying the medical personnel for examining the victims they refer medical checkup save for the Justice Law and Order Sector that pays only for those who are examined from the private health facilities but not government owned facilities.
His worship Fredie Awachnedi, the kotido chief magistrate during an exclusive interview with this publication condemned that act of corruption in Police adding that those violated should instead report to the higher authorities instead of giving up searching for justice since it is their right.
police medical examination form filled by a clinical officer is usually required by court as evidence of assault, rape and defilement in courts of law.
This story is funded by Ultimate Media Consults.
