At least 10 police officers arrested in connection to the kidnap and murder of social worker, Maria Nagirinya and her driver have been charged before Uganda Police Force’s Disciplinary Court.
After Nagirinya’s kidnap on August 28, President Museveni ordered for the arrest of the police officers who did not act after being alerted by relatives about it. As a result, Police’s Professional Standards Unit (PSU) arrested three Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) and seven Police Constables (PCs).
The President’s order came after Nagirinya’s father, Francis Lubowa and her uncle Dr Ben Mukwaya blamed detectives for being complacent when they informed them of how their daughter had been kidnapped alongside her part time driver, Ronald Kitayimbwa.
Nagirinya and Kitayimbwa were kidnapped outside her home gate in Lungujja, Rubaga Division, in Kampala at around 11.40pm. Relatives rushed to Katwe, Natete and Old Kampala police stations where the officers took their time to act until the victim’s Spacio vehicle number UBA 570V was no longer visible on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras.
Police Court Chairperson, Dennis Odongpiny, hesitantly confirmed that the officers had been charged and would return tomorrow (Wednesday). “They appeared yesterday (Monday) and they will return tomorrow [Wednesday],” Mr Odongpiny said on Tuesday.
Nagirinya was a project manager at Community Integrated Development Initiative (CIDI). The Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and police have so far arrested six prime suspects who have been charged in courts of law.
