There has been slight reduction in crime says IGP

By Robert Segawa

The inspector general of police Okoth Martin Ochola has urged Members of the public to continue working together with Uganda Police in the fight against crime which will boost the country's economy and development.

The IGP Ochola said this the launch of the annual report of year 2018 where he pointed out a total of 238,746 cases reported compared to 252,065 cases registered in 2017 reflecting a decrease in crime by 5.2% .

He says that 4.5% of all crimes were committed along the highways, 47.7% were in urban centers while 47.8 % were committed in rural areas.

He adds that cases of defilement, thefts, rape, Burglaries and murders have been more rampant in rural areas while robbery, common assaults, and Aggravated assaults are common in urban areas.

He further adds that 73,035 cases were taken to court reflecting an increase of 66,626 cases that were taken to court in 2017; with convictions totaling to 22,263, while dismissed cases are 11,121 in 2018.

Ochola further says 239,484 persons were victims of crime of whom 143, 880 were male adults, and female adults were 60,648 , while young boys are 10,772 and girls were 24,184 victims.

In her part as Director Criminal Investigation Directorate AIGP Grace Akullo has identifies leading crimes in 2018 as Common assaults, Defilement, domestic violence and fraud obtaining money by false pretense among others compared to 2017.

Grace Akullo says that 29,735 were registered, and defilement with 15,366 cases, domestic violence 13,916, followed obtaining money by false pretense with 12,313 cases among others.

She pointed out Kampala south division, Kampala north division, West Nile , Albertine region, Elgon region, Kampala East division,Busoga north and Sezibwa as the leading regions where crime has been committed to have increased in the same year.

In his part as Director of traffic and road safety AIGP Dr.Steven Kasiima reports that a total of 3,689 died in road accident in a total of 3,194 fatal accident s registered in 2018.

Dr Kasiima says their has been a slight increase in the number of people who died by 5.4% compared to the people who died in 2017 totaling to 3,500 lost their lives.

He adds that serious accidents were 6,085 and minor accidents were 30,526 in 2018.

He says that the causes of accident are due to reckless driving, over speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, careless pedestrians and vehicles in dangerous mechanical condition among others.

He adds that 199,785 penality tickets were issued out to indiscipline driver's of which 15.6 billion have so far been paid while 18 billion shillings is to be paid by defaulters.