By Gad Masereka
Kitgum: A section of administrative offices and Council hall of Labongo Layamo Sub County, Kitgum District have been turned into police cells.
Dickson Obita the Lemo Gwengajut village chairperson said, for close to five years now, the police has been utilizing some offices and the sub County council hall to temporarily hold suspects before they are transferred to the Central police station.
Offices that have been occupied by the police include that of the Sub County vice Chairperson and the Secretary for Community based services where the suspects are held.
When we talked to the area Sub-County Speaker Martin Ocieng, he lamented that during council meetings, the suspects are temporarily held in other offices.
“The situation affects council business since we have to relocate the suspects to other offices when there is a full council meeting”, said Ocieng.
The Labongo Layamo sub county Vice Chairperson David Opiyo added that the sub county council resolved to offer space because the police lacked an outpost because the nearby post was destroyed by a hail storm in 2014.
Opiyo added that the sub county has also improvised part of its staff houses to accommodate the police unit commander and some of his junior officers.
The Aswa River region police spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema said, the police leadership has been informed about the need for a police post.
Okema however said, they have approached local leaders, development partners and civil society organizations for support to construct facilities for the police.
