Statistics from the Criminal Investigations Directorate–CID show that the Uganda police a 4.9% increase in Homicide.
This is according to new records released on Tuesday morning in the Uganda Police Crime report 2019.
It shows that Uganda recorded 4,718 cases of homicide by the end of 2019 compared to 4,497 cases in 2018 indicating a 4.9% increase.
The report shows a general decrease in overall crime, however, cases of murder [homicide] increased by almost 5 percent last year.
These murders are mainly resulting from land wrangles, mob justice, family misunderstandings, a crime of passion, and business rivalry among others.
The highest cases of murder were reported from the three districts of Mbarara-129 murders, Arua-103, and Ntungamo-95 killings.
However, there was a slight decrease in the number of murders in the three districts compared to 2018 where Mbarara recorded-138 murders, Arua- 106, and Ntungamo-97 killings.
The report, which is signed by the Inspector General of Police-IGP, Martin Okoth Ochola, shows crime cases dropped from 238,746 in 2018 to 215,224 in 2019 which is a 9.8 percent drop.
However, there was a relative increase in cases of homicide, cyber-crimes, and corruption-related cases.
Ochola indicates that organized criminal syndicates committed heinous crimes within the regions of Kampala Metropolitan Policing Area, Greater Masaka, and Busoga areas.
“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” he said.
Also notable was defilement cases that persistently remained high in number despite an 11 percent drop in cases recorded in 2019 as compared to 2018.
“Defilement still poses a big problem for the Police. In 2019, whereas there was a decrease in defilement cases by 11.4% from 2018, a total of 13,682 children were defiled, the majority of whom being the girl child. This is unacceptable,” Ochola states.
There was also a 0.4 percent increase in traffic and road safety cases. The number of crashes increased from 12,805 in 2018 to 12,858 in 2019, causing the death of 3,407 people yet in 2018 only 3192 people lost lives in road carnage.
The IGP points the decrease to deliberate efforts by the Government of Uganda to tackling crime, efforts of the men and women of the Uganda Police Force, and continued support from sister security agencies to fight crime.
