20091203

Kampala — A district Police commander in Northern Uganda has been detained over allegations of soliciting and receiving a sh1m bribe.

The Oyam district acting Police chief, Hassan Ali Inziku, was netted on Wednesday evening at Mabros Hotel in Oyam where he is said to have received the money.

Aldo Lado, a CID detective, led the team that arrested Inziku. Officials from the Apac Anti-Corruption Coalition provided the 'bait' money.

Inziku's cell phone was also confiscated for the purpose of retrieving messages he reportedly sent as he demanded for the money.

Dressed in Police uniform, he unsuccessfully tried to explain himself before he was led to the cells shortly after 1:00pm. Three months ago, he was the officer-in-charge at Loro Police post.

According to acting Lira Police boss, Gemunamolo Jodaga, Inziku asked Jackson Omara for sh5m to release his father, Alfred Obura.

Obura, a resident of Amukugungu village, had been detained over land wrangles. He had been freed but his bail was cancelled and he was remanded in Anyeke Prison.

It was then, according to Jodaga, that Inziku brought down his price and pressurised Omara to raise sh2m.

After failing to secure the money, Omara reported the matter to the Anti-Corruption Coalition.

"They advised us to raise money that would be used to trap him," Tom Opwonya of the Anti-Corruption Coalition told journalists at Lira Police Station. "When we got it, we advised Omara to lure him."

The Police boss was caught red-handed and taken to Lira Police Station, according to Jodaga.

In a separate incident, a policeman attached to Apala Police post in Lira has been arrested over reports that he was involved in an armed robbery.

Cyprian Awici was netted last week following accusations of stealing sh281,400, a bar of soap and half a kilo of sugar from Benson Ogwok. The suspect is held at the Police station in Lira.

Jodaga told reporters that Awici committed the offence when he was deployed at Apala Secondary School. Awici has denied the accusations.

allafrica