Police Canine Unit on Spot Over Alleged Extortion

The Police canine unit is on the spot over allegations of extortion.  Dozens of people who have allegedly been extorted by police officers attached to the unit have cried out to the Inspector General of Police, Abbas Byakagaba, to reign on his personnel who have turned sniffer dogs into a lucrative business.

People from various parts of the country who have talked to Uganda Radio Network (URN) have said the police officers attached to different stations have made it a routine to extort money from them using sniffer dogs and framed charges.

The victims said in most cases their neighbours with who they have misunderstandings allegedly connive with canine unit police officers and are framed for theft using sniffer dogs. 

Richard Tumwine, a resident of Kalungu, in Buhweju district, said one of his neighbours with who they had spent years bickering framed him using canine police officers that he had stolen a bunch of bananas and he regained his freedom after paying 500,000 shillings.

Tumwine said his neighbour came with canine police officers and they first held a meeting in his house before they forced the dog to pass through his courtyard.

According to Tumwine, he was later informed that he had stolen a banana yet he had just cut eight bunches from his garden and were in the courtyard.

He said his pleas for innocence fell on deaf ears and was told that he had nothing to do about it and the solution was for him to negotiate with the police officers and his neighbour.

“I was accused of stealing a banana yet I had more than enough in my garden. I had just cut eight big banana bunches from my plantation and they were in my courtyard. Even the dog had bypassed my home but it was forced to return. I was ordered to pay 500,000 shillings,” Tumwine said.

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Innocent Tumwebaze said he was also forced to pay 500,000 shillings to regain his freedom after police officers connived with his competitor and framed him that he had stolen jerricans of alcohol.

“I was not at home when police officers brought canine dogs and forcefully entered them into my house. They took the jerricans of alcohol to the police alongside my wife. When I returned to my home, I received very many people who told me that I was going to do nothing other than accept to pay money. I painfully paid 500,000,” Tumwebaze said.  

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Justine Akankunda said she was one time sitting in her courtyard and all of a sudden she saw police officers alongside sniffer dogs. She was accused of stealing a bunch of bananas. Akankunda said she became furious and demanded proof of the allegations that were being made against her.

“I was informed that I had stolen my neighbour’s bunch of bananas. I challenged them to present evidence and they said it was the dog. But the dog was not even close to me. I paid 700,000 shillings after spending a day in police cells,” Akankunda said.

Musa Kanyire of Sheema district said he was extorted 700,000 shillings by police officers conniving with his competitor that he had stolen a sack of cassava yet he was supplying more than enough to Maseruka secondary school.

According to Kanyire, his rival used one of his who dumped a few tubers of cassava in his courtyard. “They brought the dog and it didn’t come to me but it was guided to walk behind my house. I wondered what it was looking for. Police officers later called me saying the dog had seen some cassava tubers that I had stolen from a neighbour’s garden. I told them I am one of the lead cassava growers in this area and I couldn’t steal the same but they did not listen,” Kanyire said.

The Canine Unit is headed by Commissioner of Police, Dr Martin Mugume, a position he has held for more than 12 years. The victims said they have tried to raise their concerns with District Police Commanders (DPCs), Regional Police Commanders (RPCs) and Canine Unit headquarters in Kampala but they have not been helped.

When contacted for a comment, Mugume referred URN to the Police Spokesperson, Kituuma Rusoke. In response, Rusoke said police officers are human beings whereby some can engage in committing undesirable acts. 

Rusoke has advised all those who have fallen victim to extortion to lodge their complaints to the force’s Professional Standards Unit (PSU). 

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However, Rusoke said they rarely doubt their sniffer dogs if they are well-guided during investigations.