Uganda Police Force has today released the 2019 Annual Crime Report and according to the report, therewas a 9.8% decrease in the volume of crimes reported to Police from 238,746 cases reported in 2018 to 215,224 cases reported in 2019.
Martin Okoth Ochola, the Inspector General of Police said that this is due to deliberate efforts by Government to tackle crime, efforts of the men and women of the Uganda Police Force and continued support from sister security agencies to fight crime.
Nevertheless, the report indicated relative increase in cases of homicide, cyber-crimes and corruption related cases. It also showed that defilement still poses a big crisis to Police.
“In 2019, whereas there was decrease in
defilement cases by 11.4% from 2018, a total of 13,682 children were defiled,
majority of
whom being the girl child,” read the report.
Kampala Metropolitan Policing Area, Greater Masaka, and Busoga areas are said to be hub for organised criminal syndicates.
“I am happy to report that in 2019, a total of ten criminal syndicates were dismantled, their members arrested and charged accordingly, and others have been sentenced to death by hanging,” said Ochola.
For Traffic and Road Safety cases, the report indicated a 0.4% increase in the number of crashes reported from 12,805 in 2018 to 12,858 in 2019, out of which 3,407 were fatal, 5,992 were serious and 3,459 were minor.
“My appreciation goes to Uganda Police top management, Director CID, Crime Data Management Department and all UPF records officers throughout the country for putting together this work,” Ochola said.
He added, “Finally, my appreciation goes to all men and women of the Uganda Police Force for your tireless efforts amidst challenges of fighting crime. Keep up the spirit.”