Police in Karamoja sub-region, Uganda, have apologized for the actions of Constable Ivan Muhindo, who indiscriminately fired at civilians on September 20, 2023.
Muhindo is a member of the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), which is deployed to fight cattle rustlers in Karamoja. According to police spokesperson AIP Mike Longole, Muhindo was involved in a bar brawl in Chepsikunya trading center before returning to his base and picking up a PK machine gun with 200 rounds of ammunition. He then began shooting indiscriminately at civilians.
Longole condemned Muhindo’s actions as “scandalous” and said they had damaged the relationship between the police and the community. He also announced that Muhindo had been dismissed from the police force with disgrace.
“We advise the scared populace to return to their homes and carry out their daily business as usual,” Longole said.
The ASTU management in Karamoja is now waiting for official confirmation of Muhindo’s dismissal from the police force. The final dismissal letter has to come from police headquarters in Kampala.
