Police registers increase in crime for year 2022

The Police Annual Crime Report 2022 released today by the Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth Ochola indicates that crime rate in 2022 increased by 18% from 196, 081 in 2021 to 231, 653 in 2022.

The annual crime report covers a period from 1st January to 31st December 2022.While releasing the report, the IGP Ochola attributed the increase to full reopening of the economy after the COVID-19 lockdown and growing confidence to report crime to Police.Out of the cases reported to Police; 103,874 cases while 26,749 cases were not proceeded with.

The report shows that 136,499 cases were still under investigation by end of 2022.The report indicates that out of 68,405 cases that were submitted to court; 10,648 cases secured convictions, 38 cases were acquitted, 213 cases were dismissed, while 57,508 cases are still pending in court.

The report shows that a total of 90,182 suspects were charged to court of which 83,112 were male adults, 4,579 suspects were female adults, 2,175 suspects were male juveniles, 316 were female juveniles.

According to the report, a total of 239,988 persons were victims of crime whom 140,861 were male adults, 61,859 were adult females, 11,224 were male Juveniles, 26, 043 were female juveniles. Ochola said theft were on increase to 61508 compared to 43583 reported in 2021 while assaults were on increase from 29317 to 32041 in 2022.

The report also indicates that domestic violence cases increased to 17698 from 17533 reported in 2021 where's cases of breaking have shot up by 36% to 13826 from 10,148 in the previous year.

The report indicates that sex related offences have gradually reduced by at least 10% to 14693 from the 16373 reported the previous year.

The same report indicates that defilement  went down by 38% from 14436 in 2021 to 8960 in 2022.

The year 2022 reports number of attacks on security personnel, mostly police officers by assailants for guns.The report indicates there were 32 such cases in which 38 guns and 705 ammunition were robbed.

However, the report says 30 of these guns and 545 ammunition have since been recovered.The IGP has appealed to Ugandans to continue the fight against crime for a safer Uganda.

He assured the public that in 2023, the focus will be to remodel the process to support the sub county policing model, welfare enhancement and digitization of police processes for enhanced law and order.

The Director Traffic and Road Safety, SCP Lawrence Nuwabiine while commenting on the traffic incidents recorded in 2022 said that most accidents occurred between 1pm and 8pm.

According to SCP Nuwabiine, that is a time when everyone on the road is tired.The report shows that the Directorate recorded 20, 394 accidents in 2022, reflecting  an increase of 16.9% compared to the 2021.

The Director Criminal Investigations, AIGP Tom Magambo noted that the Force has come up with a number of strategies for crime prevention and reduction.

These, he said include: community policing, enhanced investigations, digitization, recruitment of more detectives, skilling, tooling, ensuring institutional functionality, review and documentation procedures, better management of exhibits, enhanced application of science in investigations and improve the personnel’s welfare.