On Monday Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola suspended Siraje Bakaleke along with other four officers over illegal deportation of Korean Nationals and robbery.
The four officers include, Assistant Superintendent of Police Herbert Akankwasa, Detective Inspector Robert Ray Asiimwe, Constable Drover Robert Ayebare and Constable Kenneth Zirintusa
In February it was alleged that Bakaleke while serving as the Regional Police Commander (KMP) Kampala South and his accomplices intercepted three Koreans at Acacia Mall in Kampala and robbed them of $400000 (estimated to be shs 1.4 billion).
The Koreans according to reports had come to Uganda to invest in the mineral business.
Whereas four of the junior officers were arrested and detained in Nalufenya, Bakaleke was transferred to CPS into a lower office which was perceived as a demotion.
The alleged robbery occurred at a time Gen Kale Kayihura was at the helm of the police establishment.
This website understands that unlike the allegations that Koreans were forcefully repatriated, they willingly travelled back to their country.
Police Spokesman Emilian Kayima confirmed that indeed these Korean Citizens left the country at will.
Upon this backdrop pundits have raised a couple of questions punching loopholes in Bakaleke’s case.
Unanswered Questions
Did the Koreans file any official Complaint…can the public understand the nature of the complaint?
Who is alleging and what nature has the allegation taken? What ordinarily informs police investigations?
What commences an investigation? Must there not be a complainant? That actually makes a complaint on oath or a record and signs a statement at Police?
Does police have any statements from the would be complainants?
How then, will police prove a case if the complainants are unavailable? Won’t this be viewed as witch hunt of people in the forces known to have been close to the former IGP…Or has police become the Complainant?
Would Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) sanction a file whose complainant is unknown? In the event that he does, aren’t all these files creating backlog, that keep in court records without prosecution for lack of witnesses?
Bottom line, is any authority that moves on a file without a complainant has a hidden agenda…..What is the hidden agenda?
What is the motive? If Koreans decided to willingly leave, had they sorted their issues… what informed their decision to leave without formally complaining as per our law?
Has Police administration just learned about this whole Bakaleke story/allegation? For a story that hit the headon lines February 10th, how come decision to send him on suspension is being made now? Is there anything new in the investigation that has just been discovered that has triggered this? Or is it that the new leadership has just woken up?
Is Police considering charging Bakaleke and all officers associated in the Police Disciplinary Court or the Ordinary Courts?
If Police should opt for the ordinary Courts, is that a lack of confidence in their own internal disciplinary mechanisms?