Police forces in Pallisa and Bukedi have commenced investigations into the circumstances under which a police officer identified as AIP George William Kaweesi, 45, attached to the Field Force Unit in Pallisa, shot and killed himself on August 15th, 2022.
The PRO of Bukedi North said that on the 14th of August 2022, Kaweesi (now deceased) reported to Pallisa police station on transfer as OC-FFU, from Magamaga, and was allocated a house in the FFU barracks located in senior quarters where other FFU personnel and other officers attached to the medical unit stay.
“The deceased, who was well dressed in his full FFU uniform and armed with his SMG, was helped by other FFU officers to put his property inside the room,” Alaso said.
According to Alaso, on the 16th of August at around 1030 hours, the wife of the deceased, identified as Hellen Akia, reported to the barracks claiming that she had called the husband’s phone but he was not picking up. Officers went to his house and tried to open his door, but it was locked from the inside. But on peeping through the window, they saw Kaweesi’s lifeless body on the mat, soaked in a pool of blood.
She stated that a team of police officers led by the district CID officer, along with scene of crime personnel, immediately visited the house and documented the scene.Alaso added that the officers recovered an SMG rifle with 29 rounds of ammunition with its safety catch open and a Star pistol with 14 rounds of ammunition and one bullet in the chamber were recovered in the room.
The deceased’s body is currently at Pallisa General hospital for postmortem examination.
SP: Umar Mugerwa, the district police commander, said the incident was shocking and urged fellow police officers to always share challenges with friends for possible solutions.
Similar cases
On January 24, 2022, at about 4am, inside his place of residence at Nsambya police barracks, Corporal Drandi George, a police officer attached to VIPPU, shot himself dead. Also recently, James Agwayi, 45, another officer, locked himself in his house at Mubende Police Barracks and shot himself in the head.