Police in Kiira region has confirmed the arrest of 14 people who had organized a party in a bar along Nizam road in Southern division, Jinja city on Monday night. The revelers were still partying well after midnight when police raided and burst into the locked bar and arrested them, and locked them up in the notorious Nalufenya station.
While addressing the nation about the Covid-19 situation in the country on Sunday night, president Yoweri Museveni challenged police authorities to stop the laxity and ensuring community adherence to his covid-19 control measures.
The president further tasked the police to ensure that bars are remain closed all the time as a means of controlling the spread of Covid-19 however, and advised those who want to drink alcohol to take it from their homes to their contentment, but some bar owners are still defying this directive.
The suspects whose identities have been withheld comprise of six women and eight men.
They are reported to have locked themselves in the bar and retained the watchman to alert them in case of any eventualities. However, the residents within the neighboring community contacted police personnel who arrested them at around 1:00am.
A detective who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity says that all the suspects confessed to have defied the presidential directives and have since asked for forgiveness.
However, their file has been forwarded to the state attorney for further legal advice.
The Kiira central acting police commander, Maurice Niyonzima says that the suspects who are being detained at Nalufenya police station awaiting prosecution in courts of law, will face two charges related to violation of presidential directives and engaging in acts likely to cause the spread of a dangerous disease.
Niyonzima further says that they have intensified operations in all the Jinja city suburbs and members of the general public have been reminded to adhere to the ministry of health standard operating procedures and presidential directives, aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19.
