Residents of Kasingo Cell in West Division, Hoima City want the officer in charge (OC) of Kasingo police post, Sgt Francis Muhereza, transferred accusing him of allegedly shooting and injuring the residents.
They say the police officer has shot and injured three people in one year without any action taken against him.
Mr Simon Peter Kaahwa, the latest to be shot told the press that Muhereza shot and injured him in the hand in the incident that took place on Sunday evening.
He says his life was saved by nearby residents who rushed him to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital for medical management.
Mr Kaahwa alleges that he met his fate when he was coming from Hoima city some few kilometres to Kasingo, the current headquarters for Hoima district.
“As I was coming from the city on my motorcycle, the OC stopped me but before I could stop, he shot me in the hand. I wondered how I deserved that kind of treatment! He said.
Adding: “The police officer was deployed to keep law and order in the area but he has turned out to be a monster to the people he is obliged to protect by virtue of his work. Worst of all, neither his bosses nor leaders in higher authority offices do not take any action against him”, he said.
The Hoima District Chairman, Kadir Kirungi, says he also heard the earlier shootings where people were injured adding that he would organise a meeting with the Regional Police Commander about the incidents for professional action.
However, he says he had never received any official reports about the shootings.
Samuel Kisembo Araali, the Hoima Resident City Commissioner cum district security chairman, says he received the information about the officers’ actions that he had been doing against the residents. He adds that he has already informed higher offices in the police force saying action will be taken against the errant police officer.
The RCC says it has already been agreed upon that another OC be deployed to Kasingo so revive and rebuild the confidence that the residents had lost in the police.
He urges the community to always report such incidents to higher authorities for action to be taken as early as possible adding that justice will prevail.
Efforts to get a comment from the Albertine Regional Police Publicist, ASP Julius Allan Hakiza, were fruitless by press time.
