Fugitive Police officer Siraje Bakaleke has surfaced after 5 years in hiding following an arrest warrant issued by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola.
Ochola made the directive shortly after he had been appointed to replace Gen. Kale Kayihura, who served Police for 13 years.
Bakaleke at the rank of Assistant Commission (ACP) was among the top officers loyal to Gen Kayihura.
He is now detained at Police Railway Grounds, a facility known for keeping ‘dirty’ cops.
3 months before his disappearance, his former boss Kayihura and several other officers were arrested by Military Intelligence, charged with kidnap and repatriation of Rwandan refugee.
Those arrested include former Crime Intelligence director Col Ndahura Atwooki, Nixon Agasirwe, Herbert Muhangi who headed Flying Squad, Joel Aguma, Abdul Kitatta and among others. However, most of them were later freed on bail but remain undeployed
Two of Kayihura’s confidants who evaded arrest went into hibernation. They are; former PA Jonathan Baroza and Siraje Bakaleke.
The duo went missing fearing they were a target of the arrests that targeted cops loyal to Kayihura.
Baroza who had been deployed in Algeria never returned while reports indicated, in November 2018, Bakaleke also fled the country after he was removed from the office of the Regional Police Commander for Kampala South and deployed in the office of political commissar.
On the Run
Media reports suggested Bakaleke, just like Baroza had also left Uganda and sought sanctuary in Netherlands or Sweden.
However, this investigative website understands that Bakaleke, has never left Uganda, he first hibernated in Buyende his native district in Busoga region for close to three years before returning to his residence Nansana Wakiso where he kept a low profile.
A source said that last week on Wednesday, Bakaleke voluntarily handed himself in at the CID head offices in Kibuli seeking to kick start a re integration process that will see him go thru the disciplinary proceedings so he can be redeployed if he gets acquitted on the disciplinary charges of absence from duty without office leave.
But desertion is criminal according to the laws that government all Forces in Uganda.
Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police Spokesperson, when contacted confirmed Bakaleke will be charged in the criminal Court.
“He was on bond and his bond was cancelled. He will appear in Court,” Enanga said before ending our call and without providing more details.
Another source in Police said Bakaleke was forced to surrender because of hunger as the economy continues to press many Ugandans to the wall.
“If people who are working are crying, how about a man who has been hiding yet he has a family to take care of? Hunger got him from his comfort zone in search of employment,” a source said.
Bakaleke is hopeful he can be rehabilitated and he returns into service.
The IGP Ochola when informed about Bakaleke’s request said he should first sort the matter which propelled him into ‘exile.’
