New Year Celebrations: 4,649 Suspects Arrested as 31 Lives Lost, Police Report Reveals

Police have revealed that a total of 4,649 suspects were arrested an 31 people died in crime related activities during the new year’s celebrations.

The suspected criminals were netted in Rwenzori region that recorded the highest number of crimes, North Kyoga, Aswa West, Kampala Metropolitan North, Aswa East, and Greater Masaka.

Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police Spokesman says a total of 55 incidents were registered across 27 regions countrywide that led to arrests and deaths.

He says that majority of the crimes were petty in nature and included offenses like snatching, pickpocketing, and assault  among others. The suspects were largely arrested from various entertainment sports and places of worship.

Among those arrested include; 4,039 male adults, 242 female adults, 68 male juveniles, three female juveniles, and 297 suspects not specified.

Enanga also revealed that 31 people died various causes between December 31,2023 and January 2, 2024. These include lynching on suspicion of theft (5), hacking/stabbing (6), suicide (4), suspected poisoning (2), fire outbreaks (2), blunt object injuries (2), aggravated domestic violence (2), drowning (2), rash and neglect acts (2), shooting (1), and strangulation (2).

Enanga however said the New year’s celebrations were largely peaceful as security operatives deployed strategically to avert crime.

“Generally we had peaceful New Year’s Day celebrations because we did not register terrible security incidents such as ADF attacks like it happened in Kamwenge. This was due to robust security deployment and collaboration with the locals providing information,” Enanga said.