Police bosses arrested after robbers gun down colleague

 Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Andrew Kaweesi speaking to journalists in Kampala yesterday.

Kampala- Four senior police officers at Kajjansi Police Station have been arrested over operational errors that led to the killing of an assistant superintendent of police.
The four were arrested following the killing of Joseph Bigirwa, the officer in-charge of the station, who was on Friday shot by thugs as he was responding to a robbery of a petrol station and mobile money shop.

According to Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Andrew Kaweesi, the four officers failed to deploy and respond in time to the robbery thus placing their colleague in danger while the deceased committed operational misjudgment.

“I have taken action against the officers, they have already been arrested and detained. It was irresponsibility on their side and action will be taken. On the side of the OC, he misjudged the operation. If only he had called in for enforcement,” Mr Kaweesi said.

Police admit weaknesses
Police acknowledged that the killing in Kajjansi arose from operational errors and vowed not to rest until the thugs are arrested and brought to book. They also blamed the rising armed robbery cases on weak laws on prosecution of people found in possession of guns.

“Those days people found in possession of guns were tried at the court martial but now there are very weak guidelines to deal with such situation,” Mr Kaweesi added.
Bigirwa, who was buried in Bushenyi District on Sunday, was shot and died on the spot at around 11pm in Kajjansi Town on Friday night.

Shoot-to-kill policy back
Meanwhile, the police have again embarked on a shoot-to-kill move against armed robbers, barely a year after the force came under criticism over the method.

Mr Kaweesi, while addressing journalists yesterday, said he had ordered all police officers to shoot and kill armed robbers who failed to heed to a police warning that is only given once.

“If police officers give a warning and you (armed criminal) fail to stop or surrender, they will shoot and kill you because the law gives police the mandate and they shall not wait for you to kill them,” Mr Kaweesi said.