By Our Reporters
IGG Irene Mulyagonja has furiously reacted to claims that some investigators from her office were, through friendly agents, trying to extort money from three influential administrators in the Uganda Police Force who have lately been interrogated and recorded statements as part of ongoing investigations into the irregular recruitments of the ex-IGP Kale Kayihura era. “Who exactly are those officers doing that? Can you advise whoever has been aggrieved by their actions to anonymously report to us? It’s very safe; nobody will know and it’s done online. Just go to our website and share that tip with the Inspectorate in confidence and action will swiftly be taken,” Mulyagonja told this news website when called on phone. We had called to inquire about persistent reports that, following his interrogation and statement-recording with IG operatives, Police Undersecretary Rogers Muhirwa had been added on the list of those being targeted by extortionist IG officials for bribery.
Credible sources revealed that some rogue elements close to the IG investigators, involved in the police probe, had commenced frantic efforts to reach out to at least three senior administrators in the UPF asking for bribes in order to neutralize aspects of police investigations that concern them personally. Besides Muhirwe, a wealthy civil servant residing in a palatial residence in Kyengera where he owns a hotel besides a Naalya Quality Supermarket-size upcoming shopping center along Sentema road, the other Police administrators being targeted for extortion are equally wealthy Hajji Moses Balimwoyo and Godfrey Bangirana. These respectively serve as Director HRM (Administration) and Logistics & Engineering. They are both at the rank of AIGP and are among the 10 Police Directors. The extortionists, purporting to have a way of reaching the concerned IG investigators, have sent out emissaries asking each of these big men to release Shs500m in return for favorable treatment during investigations. Mulyagonja said this sounds very strange and it’s something, once proved, she will be ready to severely punish in case any of her officers’ culpability is proved. Hesitant to specifically speak about the three police administrators, Mulyagonja said “it’s true we have ongoing investigations regarding police recruitment.” She added “it has been on for some time and its work in progress” meaning summoning any police top official for interrogation wouldn’t be totally unexpected. Asked about growing concerns that some of the Kayihura era police bosses are way too rich beyond what their known salaries could afford them, Mulyagonja said: “The inspectorate is open to receiving such information and we act upon it whenever it becomes available to us.” Her publicist Ali Munira, renowned for her media friendliness, was less guarded when we called her.
She confirmed that in the past few days many top police officials had been interrogated and statements recorded from them “and I can’t exactly remember each one of them by name.” Munira said the matter of police recruitment is a broadened investigation capable of touching on anything “that borders on any corrupt dealings.” She added that: “Some of the areas might be procurement-related and in that case we pass it over to the PPDA.” Saying many different things that took place in Kayihura era police force were being inquired into, Munira who had already left office said “I can’t easily remember everything off hand but you just know these are ongoing investigations.” She carried on thus: “Officials have been invited before, including very recently, and many more are going to be called upon for interrogation and to record statements. It depends on what investigators want answered and then a relevant official is called upon.” Our sources close to the IG investigations into police had indeed told us several things which Munira corroborated in the phone interview we had with her-without speaking very specifically because, understandably, she had already left office. It was late evening. Reliable sources had told us that elderly Balimwoyo, the stinking rich man from Buruli/Nakasongora, was asked about many unqualified people who got recruited into police including in the prestigious cadet course.
He was also questioned on how foreigners, whose Ugandan identity the Police leadership is so far unable to corroborate, successfully fluked and got enlisted for the prestigious police training whereafter they got deployed in sensitive work stations within the UPF. The IG interrogators, at some point, got the impression that poor man Balimwoyo wasn’t fully in charge as sometimes chits would be sent in asking for the recruitment of some of these people. Incidentally one of the people whose entry into the UPF the IG operatives are investigating is a daughter to the good old Hajji. She previously served in the police’s PR unit and our sources couldn’t recall where she is currently deployed. Muhirwe, who is the UPF accounting officer and vote controller whose department is charged with sanctioning monthly payment of officers’ salaries and other emoluments, too was grilled about some of these HR-related anomalies in the Kayihura era police force.
He was also prompted on the excessive wealth (including cash on the account) he is reputed to have out there in comparison to his remuneration. A Kayihura blue eyed boy for many years, Muhirwa is an accountant by profession who was originally a police officer but quit after successfully seeking early retirement from the Force-and currently serves on contract. Bangirana was asked about the mystery Shs4bn that was sometime back in his possession on the bank account and this too is something Mulyagonja veiledly talked about in our phone interview. “Of course once reported to us, someone having outrageous sums of money in his or her possession, is something the Inspectorate becomes interested in,” said Mulyagonja who wasn’t comfortable discussing the fate of individual police administrators in very specific terms.
The influential logistics chief was also asked about the Shs9bn the Okoth Ochora administration too had previously unearthed as having been spent on the curious police supplies. This Ochora internal probe had been coordinated by a group of top officers led by ex-CIID chief Edward Ochom. As part of the broadened investigations into the UPF, the IG detectives are also inquiring into the proprietorship of Shell Malindi which is located between Kireka and Banda on your left as you drive towards Mukono. In a related development, this news website has reliably learnt that because of this ongoing IG probe, the Police Authority has been asked to delay the extension of contracts of the 10 police directors whose tenure remains uncertain. The all-important Police Authority is chaired by the Internal Affairs Minister with other members being the PS Internal Affairs Ministry, the Attorney General, the IGP and police HRM Director who is currently Hajji Balimwoyo, the frail old man from Buruli.
