The daily monitor made a number of allegations in their article about the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2024 that we should not go unanswered.
ALLEGATION THAT THE STATISTICS IN THE IGP’S POLICE ANNUAL CRIME REPORT 2024 SHOWED VIOLENT CRIMES SUCH AS HOMICIDES, ROBBERIES AND RAPE REDUCING
That allegation is utterly false. The Police Annual crime report clearly indicates that a total of 4,329 cases of homicides were reported by the end of 2024 compared to 4,248 homicides reported in 2023, giving a 1.9% increase in homicides.
A total of 8,163 cases of Robberies were reported to Police in 2024 compared to 7,772 robberies reported in 2023, giving a 5% increase in robberies.
Similarly, total of 1,667 cases of Rape were reported to Police in 2024 compared to 1,577 rapes reported in 2023, giving an increase of 5.7% in rapes.
ALLEGATION THAT THE POLICE ANNUAL CRIME REPORT FAILED
TO REPORT ON PERSONS who committed suicide
Their presentation gave the impression that we were asserting no suicides took place in 2024. Our policy prohibits including incidents not legally classified as crimes in official crime reports. To report suicides in a Crime Report would be a contradiction in terms, given that Ugandan law does not recognize suicide as a criminal offence.
Section 188 of Uganda’s Penal Code Act defines murder as the unlawful killing of another person with malice aforethought. While the Penal Code does not explicitly define suicide as an offense, it does address related acts.
What is permissible within the law is Attempted suicide and suicide pacts which are criminal offenses under Sections 210 and 195, respectively. In 2024, the Police registered and investigated 218 cases of attempted suicide, as detailed in the Police Annual Crime Report.
DOUBTED OF THE CRIME STATISTICS BY SOME UNIT
COMMANDERS AND ANONYMOUS SOURCES
Crime statistics are not estimations; they reflect actual incidents officially recorded by the police. The Uganda Police Force utilizes a comprehensive crime records management system extending from local police posts to CID headquarters. Each police post, station, and unit is equipped with official data capture tools (police forms/books) that are regularly filed, updated, and submitted to CID Headquarters.
This ensures all crime records from the lowest levels are captured throughout the entire data capture process, enabling the accurate generation of Police Reports.
Consequently, the Daily Monitor’s claim that unit commanders questioned the statistics is suspect. The statistics originate from these very unit commanders, who are responsible for reporting crimes within their jurisdictions.
This Daily Monitor article is therefore baseless and fabricated, especially considering that credible information and verified statistics were publicly presented during the report’s launch. The article disseminated misleading information, aimed at damaging the reputation of the entire Uganda Police Force.
R Kituuma psc (U)
ACP PRO
