The report on crimes committed by Police officers in 2019 from the Professional Standard Unit (PSU) has indicated that the rate at which the officers abused human rights in 2019 was higher than in 2018.
The report which was unveiled by Assistant Commissioner of Police George William Okalany the commandant PSU on Monday at Police headquarters Naguru indicated that last year over 2175 complaints of misconduct by their officers were registered, among these human right cases were more than those of 2018.
“The major aspect in this report is the human right, I singled that out because it’s affecting us as Police since it has put our image at stake, we are always blamed for torturing, so when we receive such cases we take them as very serious cases that we handle with care so that justice is done,” he said.
The report has come out at a time when the public is not contented on the way police officers together LDUs are abusing human rights in broad daylight in an aspect of implementing the presidential directives due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Officers have been seen beating up old women, people walking on the streets, even cyclists, a behavior which has attracted criticism from all corners of the country.
Last year, the PSU recorded 270 human right cases as compared to 2018 which were 238 cases. Out of 270 cases, 168 cases were completed remaining 102 cases.
Out of 270 cases, 11 cases are for torture and the files have been forwarded to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). 69 cases were presented to the director of human right and legal service for advice whether the suspect can be disciplined by Police or otherwise. 45 cases were taken to court and are under inquiry, 4 were dismissed because they had no evidence.
Cases on unlawful arrest and detention, 5 were forwarded to DPP, 37 to the director of human right, and 36 are in court undergoing inquiry.
“On the issues of corruption since these are the two areas that we can handle. Corruption related cases were 188, we completed none. In comparison the years from 2014 to 2019, we see a common figure of 2000 cases committed by officers. In 2014, cases were 2639, 2015 were 2547 cases, 2016 we had 2660 cases, 2017 they were 2871, 2018 we had 2383 and in 2019 they were 2175,” Okalany said.
He added that their struggle continues to see that the officers act professionally and observe human rights as a critical issue.
“Suspects in custody their rights must be respected. Station management is also considered and the statuses of cells.”
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