Sam Lawino & Moses Akena
Gulu
Police detectives and residents of Gulu District were on Friday treated to drama when the district state attorney attempted in vain to chew and swallow money he had allegedly received as a bribe.
Mr Emmanuel Muwonge was arrested in his office minutes after he allegedly received Shs150,000 as a bribe from the family of a man identified as Dr Ojok, who is facing charges of assault. Mr Muwonge had allegedly promised to kill the case.
His plan to destroy the evidence backfired because he failed to chew the first set of Shs10,000 notes he had put in his mouth.
A Police source who asked for anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the press, said Mr Muwonges arrest came after the people he took a bribe from first recorded the serial numbers of the money with the Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigations, Mr Sylvano Kibwota, before handing over the cash.
Northern Uganda Regional CID officer Vincent Ouma said Mr Muwonge received the bribe in collusion with a Police officer attached to court only identified as Sgt. Omwa. He said the Police was still investigating the matter.
Northern Region Police spokesperson Johnson Kilama confirmed the incident. If someone like Mr Muwonge is allowed to continue working, the state will keep losing cases, Mr Kilama said. Our efforts to deter crime will not bear fruit if a person of Muwonges status is allowed to continue working.
Police said the incident has exposed the States inability to deliver justice in the region now recovering from war, adding that the Police would get demoralised if such individuals are allowed to work as state attorneys. Mr Kilama said more arrests would be made to bring other suspects to book.
Mr Kilama said Mr Muwonge was still being held at Gulu Central Police Station waiting for the state to sanction his file. He added that Mr Muwonge may appear in court today.
Gulu
Police detectives and residents of Gulu District were on Friday treated to drama when the district state attorney attempted in vain to chew and swallow money he had allegedly received as a bribe.
Mr Emmanuel Muwonge was arrested in his office minutes after he allegedly received Shs150,000 as a bribe from the family of a man identified as Dr Ojok, who is facing charges of assault. Mr Muwonge had allegedly promised to kill the case.
His plan to destroy the evidence backfired because he failed to chew the first set of Shs10,000 notes he had put in his mouth.
A Police source who asked for anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the press, said Mr Muwonges arrest came after the people he took a bribe from first recorded the serial numbers of the money with the Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigations, Mr Sylvano Kibwota, before handing over the cash.
Northern Uganda Regional CID officer Vincent Ouma said Mr Muwonge received the bribe in collusion with a Police officer attached to court only identified as Sgt. Omwa. He said the Police was still investigating the matter.
Northern Region Police spokesperson Johnson Kilama confirmed the incident. If someone like Mr Muwonge is allowed to continue working, the state will keep losing cases, Mr Kilama said. Our efforts to deter crime will not bear fruit if a person of Muwonges status is allowed to continue working.
Police said the incident has exposed the States inability to deliver justice in the region now recovering from war, adding that the Police would get demoralised if such individuals are allowed to work as state attorneys. Mr Kilama said more arrests would be made to bring other suspects to book.
Mr Kilama said Mr Muwonge was still being held at Gulu Central Police Station waiting for the state to sanction his file. He added that Mr Muwonge may appear in court today.
