By Ronaldo Nagye
Buyende District Police Commander (DPC) ASP Kirumira Muhammad has finally succumbed to intrigue nepotism and corruption tendencies with in the Uganda Police and took to the heels for his dear life!
The workaholic flamboyant and multi skilled officer who has been serving as the District Police Commander (DPC) for Buyende District has resigned from the Police Force citing intrigue within the now visibly tainted Gen.Kale Kayihura led Police force.
Kirumira,among others accused some high ranking officer within the force of deliberate attempts to tarnish his reputation which he has labored to build over time without special facilitation from the force, but personal sacrifice as ‘a freedom fighter”.
“As you may be aware the police administration decided to press various charges on me which look to be criminal but preferred them under disciplinary court and whereas these are old framed up charges, the police has persistently kept on looking at me as criminal and the purpose of this trial in an internal tribunal is to find ways of undermining my reputation. Therefore as a senior officer who has laboured to wipe out crime without any special facilitation, I have realized that my image before the administration shall never change and given the fact that I am still a young man, I have resigned from the force to enable the police court fulfill their motives,” reads part of the statement on Kirumira’s official Facebook Page (Mwoyo gwa Ggwanga).
Recently the police tribunal charged Kirumira with six counts; Torture, extortion, corruption, bribery, unlawful arrests and excessive use of authority.
Kirumira however maintained during cross examination in court that these are fabricated cases aimed at tarnishing his image.
Below is Kirumira’s full statement:
As you may be aware the police administration decided to press various charges on me which look to be criminal but preferred them under disciplinary court and whereas these are old framed up charges the police has persistently kept on looking at me as criminal and the purpose of this trial in an internal tribunal is to find ways of undermining my reputation.
Therefore as a senior officer who has laboured to wipe out crime without any special facilitation i have realized that my image before the administration shall never change and given the fact that I’m still a young man, i have resigned from the force to enable the police court fulfill their motives. I now await an official message replacing me such that I can hand over office to whoever is deemed fit. Eventually when the court makes its verdict i will put in my official retirement application to earn my discharge letter. I want to leave the police since it’s clean and I’m branded dirty. I will not accept to hold office meanwhile am being tried” posted Kirumira on his official social media platform-Facebook.
Kirumira said the Police administration had persistently endeavored to make him look like a criminal yet he has toiled to build a reputation as a “freedom fighter” through the efforts he made to curb crime in his different postings as a police officer.
He allegedly committed the offences when he was in-charge of Nansana Police Station in Wakiso District and Old Kampala as a division police commander in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Prosecution alleges that during his course of service, Kirumira used his powers to torture civilians and extort money from them.
Kirumira is accused of arresting a one Aramathan Kakooza whom he tortured until he paid Shs 350,000 to be set free. This allegedly happened while Kirumira was commander of Old Kampala Police Division.
He is also accused of releasing a suspect in 2014 who had been involved in a drug case after the accused paid Kirumira Shs 4.8 million.
The acts of torture, assault and unlawful arrests committed by Kirumira, Prosecution said, are tantamount to unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority contrary to Section 44(1) Code 24(c) of the Police Act.
However,Mr.Kirumira pleaded NOT guilty to the charges when he appeared before the tribunal last week.
It should be remembered that fearless and daring Kirumira while DPC Old Kampala was the first police officer to engage the Kitatta led militia squad-Boda boda 2010 when, after intercepting into their networks, summoned and warned them against their activities. He even intercepted them and recovered over 10 motorcycles from the now defunct Boda boda 2010.
Before being transferred to Buyende,Kirumira had served at Old K’la, Kagadi, Nakulabye, Kisaasi, Kisenyi, Nansana and Bwera DPC. He is expected in the dock again tomorrow Thursday to his alleged crimes.
